上海市行知高中2020-2021学年高二上学期12月月考试卷英语Word版含答案（无听力音频，含文字材料）

上海市行知中学高二年级第一学期第二次月考 英语试卷
考试时间：100分钟 满分：100分
第I卷（共77分）
I. Listening Comprehension
Section A
Directions: In Section A, you will hear ten short conversations between two speakers. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. The conversations and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a conversation and the question about it, read the four possible answers on your paper, and decide which one is the best answer to the question you have heard.
1. A. At a dancing show. B. At an airport.
C. At home. D. At a cinema.
2. A. He can’t find the manager. B. His new watch doesn’t work.
C. He doesn’t get the right watch. D. His deposit was missing.
3. A. The plan of their holiday trips. B. Their feeling of the trip to Washington.
C. The weather of the beach. D. Their wishes and dreams.
4. A. Save money on the rent. B. Share the rent with someone.
C. Find a part-time job. D. Apply for a student loan.
5. A. The woman has watered too much.
B. Moving plants is not a good idea.
C. The plants may need more sunshine.
D. The woman should get some professional help.
6. A. She is ill and has to stay at home. B. She hates watching TV at home.
C. She can’t go to work herself. D. She’s wasting much time watching TV.
7. A. Look at the laundry basket. B. Check the business time of the laundry.
C. Go to do her laundry. D. Find another suitable blouse.
8. A. The man will have a business trip tomorrow.
B. The woman has no idea what the boss is doing.
C. The terrible weather has delayed all the flights.
D. The boss is not supposed to be at the office.
9. A. He is used to going out on cold days. B. He is used to wearing a wool hat.
C. He is used to wearing no hat in winter. D. He is used to carrying a heavy bag.
10. A. The woman often suffers from bad traffic.
B. The woman is used to getting up late.
C. The woman lives in the downtown area.
D. The woman lives far away from the company.
Section B
Directions: In Section B, you will hear two short passages and one longer conversation, and you will be asked questions on each of them. The passages and conversation will be read twice, but the questions will be spoken only once. When you hear a question, read the four possible answers on your paper and decide which one would be the best answer to the question you have heard.
Questions 11 through 13 are based on the following passage.
11. A. How to stay calm. B. How to order a meal.
C. How to complain politely. D. How to deal with an argument.
12. A. Customers are less likely to get help. B. Customers will get problems fixed.
C. Managers will be frightened. D. Managers will smile happily.
13. A. Asking to speak to a manager.
B. Blaming the person you’re talking to.
C. Saying “There has been a misunderstanding”.
D. Giving the person a chance to explain.
Questions 14 through 16 are based on the following passage.
14. A. Sharing your wishes. B. Supplying things with you.
C. Chatting with you. D. Carrying things for you.
15. A. Its special Wi-F. B. Fingerprint identification system.
C. Its built-in cameras. D. Its partners.
16. A. Security. B. Convenient. C. Independent. D. Unpractical.
Questions 17 through 20 are based on the following conversation.
17. A. Kids should do chores on weekends.
B. Parents should help kids with chores.
C. Parents feel pride in helping around the house.
D. Chores teach children responsibility.
18. A. Kids’ academic achievements will improve.
B. Kids’ rooms will be clean and tidy.
C. Kids will take care of themselves.
D. Kids will finish schoolwork sooner.
19. A. Kids like doing schoolwork. B. Kids don’t need to do chores.
C. Kids are spoiled. D. Kids appreciate parents.
20. A. The woman won’t ask her kids to do chores.
B. The woman will encourage her kids to do chores.
C. The man won’t ask his kids to do chores.
D. The man will encourage his kids to study.
II. Grammar and Vocabulary
Section A
Directions: After reading the passages below, fill in the blanks to make the passages coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks,?use one word that best fits each blank.
Gorgeous Rare White Grizzly Bear Sighted In Canada
With less than 55,000 grizzly bears left in the wild across North America, the sighting of even one is a cause for celebration. Hence you can only imagine (21) __________ delighted Cara Clarkson and her family were when they spotted two young grizzlies — (22) __________ with rarely seen all-white fur— wandering alongside the Trans-Canada Highway near Banff, Canada.
“We knew we were so lucky because white grizzly bears are unheard of,” Cara told St. Albert Today. The Director of Operations at the Rimrock Resort Hotel in Banff, who shared her images and video (23) __________ social media, said the sighting was a real treat given that the family was out celebrating two birthdays — her husband Tyler's on April 26 and her three-year-old son Beau's on April 24.
Mike Gibeau, a carnivore (食肉动物) specialist for Parks Canada, says (24) __________ Clarksons and other motorists who have encountered the white bear — now called Nakoda, which means “friend” in the native language — are truly lucky. For, (25) __________ there are a few variations of white bears to be found, such as the Kermode bears in British Columbia and the polar bears in the Arctic, white grizzly bears are extremely rare.
Though this is the first time the world (26) __________ (see) the white grizzly, park rangers have known of Nakoda's existence since 2018. Jon Stuart-Smith, a Parks Canada wildlife management specialist says his team first spotted the bear and its sibling traveling with their mother, who they tracked from 2012 to 2017 as part of a Canadian Pacific-Parks Canada research project (27) __________ (analyze) the mortality rates of the region's grizzly bears. The park officials never publicized the unique bear (28) __________ __________ fear that it would be chased by fans eager to catch a glimpse. “They're just young bears trying to figure out how to make a living on the landscape, and haven't had enough time to know they (29) __________ avoid the highway and people. These unusual-looking animals get hunted mercilessly by photographers, and so (30) __________ (little) we talk about them, the better.”
Section B
Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.
tricky
present
arguably
admittedly
marginalized
bottom
viral
captured
substance
collapse
represented
Diego Maradona Transcended Sport
For a nation prone to frequent grieving over its missed opportunities, crashing from the world’s 10th wealthiest economy per capita in 1913 to the edge of economic and social (31) __________ in the past century, Argentina has produced an astonishing array of instantly recognizable global icons.
And there is Diego Maradona, (32) __________ the world’s greatest ever footballer, who transcended the sport to become something much more than a soccer star to millions around the world. Perhaps no image (33) __________ his conflicting essence like the one at the 1994 World Cup. After scoring a wonderful goal against Greece, he raced toward the sideline TV camera, arms pulled back, chest stuck out, mouth open, eyes wide as if he were possessed by the devil. And there also was the “Hand of God,” a(an) (34) __________ goal undetected by the referee. Had it taken place in this age of video review, it would have been laughed off and forgotten. Instead, it stands in a historic moment that could belong only to Maradona.
To the world’s neglected and (35) __________, Maradona became a figure of hope, for some almost a god. Such is the power of the Maradona icon that even his death of natural causes on Wednesday, most likely brought on by decades of (36) __________ abuse, still feels like a kind of martyrdom (殉难).
Here in Argentina, Maradona is everywhere (37) __________, in people’s hearts, in people’s minds. “I love him,” I have heard grown people shouting for over four decades now, continuing years after he retired from the soccer field. “Do you realize the happiness he brought to us, the poor? You have no idea!” A short video of a crying fan lighting a candle on the street for Maradona went (38) __________ in Argentina. To countless fans like this, Maradona (39) __________ a signal of rebellion against everything that is unfair in our unequal world. “For the kind of people working their way up from the (40) __________, the kind of kids who play ball barefoot in the street, Maradona was the Malcolm X（马尔科姆·艾克斯,美国黑人领袖）of them.”
III. Reading Comprehension
Section A
Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
Promising Vaccine Trials Bring Hope To Coronavirus-Weary World
On December 1, 2020, the United Kingdom became the first western country to give emergency (41) __________ for a COVID-19 vaccine. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) officials announced they would begin (42) __________ 800,000 doses of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine to 50 British hospitals as early as next week. The initial vaccines will be administered to some of the nation's most (43) __________ citizens — nursing home residents, health workers, and the elderly.
The vaccines are made using a synthetic Messenger ribonucleic acid (核糖核酸), or mRNA, that contains (44) __________ about the coronavirus’s signature spike protein (突刺蛋白). When injected into the body, it provides the immune system a (45) __________ of what the threat looks like and allows it to prepare the antibodies needed to neutralize the virus if a person gets infected. This is different from traditional vaccines, which (46) __________ the immune system by injecting weakened viruses that cannot reproduce themselves very effectively.
The (47) __________ approach has several advantages. Since it does not use a live virus, there is little danger of the vaccinated person being infected with the coronavirus. mRNA vaccines are also easier and faster to mass-produce.
However, questions about how long the vaccines will provide protection and their (48) __________ across various age groups and ethnicities are yet to be answered. Also, at an expected price of between $15 to $25 per dose, the immunizations will be expensive to extend, especially since each person needs two shots to obtain full (49) __________.
(50) __________, Pfizer's BNT162b2 must be stored at a temperature of minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit (-70 degrees Celsius), and once melted, it lasts just five days in regular refrigerators. This means that the countries wishing to use the vaccination will first have to build cold storage (51) __________. Moderna's mRNA-1273 will be a slightly easier choice since it can be stored in a regular medical freezer for up to six months. It also remains (52) __________ in a standard refrigerator for up to a month after melting.
“Today’s emergency use authorization in the U.K. (53) __________ a historic moment in the fight against COVID-19. This authorization is a goal we have been working toward since we first declared that science will win, and we (54) __________ the MHRA for their ability to conduct a careful assessment and take timely action to help protect the people of the U.K.,” Albert Bourla, chairman and CEO of Pfizer, said in a press release.
Pfizer and Moderna are not the only ones competing to find a way to stop the spread of this deadly virus that has brought the world to a halt. With the world's greatest minds working together, there is little doubt that the coronavirus will be eliminated. However, given the extent of its (55) __________, it will take some time. Until then, we must all continue to take the precautions recommended by medical experts.
41.
A.
agreement
B.
approval
C.
achievement
D.
authority
42.
A.
experimenting
B.
developing
C.
donating
D.
distributing
43.
A.
severe
B.
sensitive
C.
vulnerable
D.
valuable
44.
A.
information
B.
indication
C.
implication
D.
instruction
45.
A.
prediction
B.
prescription
C.
preview
D.
precondition
46.
A.
inspire
B.
train
C.
recover
D.
imitate
47.
A.
disciplined
B.
conservative
C.
realistic
D.
groundbreaking
48.
A.
endurance
B.
performance
C.
appeal
D.
demand
49.
A.
access
B.
relief
C.
immunity
D.
control
50.
A.
Conversely
B.
Unfortunately
C.
Additionally
D.
Eventually
51.
A.
services
B.
solutions
C.
facilities
D.
conditions
52.
A.
stable
B.
constant
C.
available
D.
intact
53.
A.
shares
B.
marks
C.
creates
D.
features
54.
A.
examine
B.
applaud
C.
prove
D.
assess
55.
A.
fatality
B.
involvement
C.
competence
D.
reach
Section B
Directions: Read the following two passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read.
(A)
Growing Up in the Library
I grew up in libraries, or at least it feels that way. I was raised in the suburbs of Cleveland, just a few blocks from the brick-faced Bertram Woods branch of the Shaker Heights Public Library system. I went there several times a week with my mother. She and I would walk in together, but as soon as we passed through the door, we each headed towards our favorite sections. The library might have been the first place I was ever given autonomy.
Even when I was maybe four or five years old, I was allowed to head off on my own. Then, after a while, my mother and I would reunite at the checkout counter with our finds. Together we'd wait as the librarian pulled out the date card and stamped it with the checkout machine ― that giant fist thumping the card with a loud chunk-chunk, printing a crooked due date underneath a score of previous crooked due dates that belonged to other people, other times.
Those visits were dreamy, frictionless (没有摩擦的) periods that held the promise of leaving me richer than I’d arrived. It wasn’t like going to a store with my mom, which guaranteed a tug-of-war between what I wanted and what my mother was willing to buy me; in the library, I could have anything I wanted.
After we had finished checking out the books, I loved being in the car and having all the books we’d gotten stacked on my lap, pressing me under their solid, warm weight, their Mylar covers sticking a bit to my thighs. It was such a thrill leaving a place with things you hadn’t paid for; such a thrill expecting the new books we would read. On the ride home, my mother and I talked about the order in which we were going to read our books, a serious conversation in which we planned how to pace ourselves through this charmed period of grace until the books were due.
When I was older, I usually walked to the library by myself, lugging back as many books as I could carry. Occasionally, I did go with my mother, and the trip would be as engaging as it had been when I was small. Even when I was in my last year of high school and could drive myself to the library, my mother and I still went together every now and then, and the trip unfolded exactly as it had when I was a child, with all the same beats and pauses and comments and daydreaming, the same perfect rhythm we’d followed so many times before. After my mother passed away two years ago, I plunged into a deep shadow of grief for a long time. When I miss my mother these days, I like to picture us in the car together, going for one more magnificent trip to Bertram Woods, during which we talked, laughed ― as if she were still in my company, giving me inexhaustible strength
56. In this passage, the word “autonomy” (paragraph 1) is closest in meaning to “__________.”
A. vitality B. freedom C. inspiration D. entitlement
57. After the author and her mother left the library, __________.
A. they would plan to read their newly-borrowed books with feverish enthusiasm
B. they would have a serious conversation about which book attracted them the most
C. they would be anxious to recommend to each other the books they had borrowed
D. they would agree on buying the books they had just borrowed if they enjoyed them
58. What would the author most likely go on to write about in the paragraphs immediately following the last paragraph of this article?
A. One specific memory of a childhood trip to the library.
B. The fond childhood memories of her mother taking good care of her.
C. How her affection for going to the library has endured into her own motherhood.
D. Why her own child made up their mind to become a librarian after finishing college.
(B)
With the coming of big data age, data science is supposed to be starved for, of which the adaption can point a great change in corporate competitiveness. Companies, both born in the digital era and traditional world are showing off their skills in data science. Therefore, it seems to have been creating a great demand for the experts of this type.
Mr Carlos Guestrin, machine learning professor from University of Washington argues that all software applications will need inbuilt intelligence within five years, making data scientists — people trained to analyze large bodies of information — key workers in this emerging “cognitive” technology economy. There are already critical applications that depend on machine learning, a subfield of data science, led by recommendation programs, fraud detection systems (欺诈检测系统), forecasting tools and applications for predicting customer behavior.
Many companies that are born digital — particularly internet companies that have a great number of real-time customer interactions to handle — are all-in when it comes to data science. Pinterest, for instance, maintains more than 100 machine learning models that could be applied to different classes of problems, and it constantly fields requests from managers eager to use this resource to deal with their business problem.
The factors weighing on many traditional companies will be the high cost of mounting a serious machine-learning operation. Netflix is estimated to spend $150m a year on a single application and the total bill is probably four times that once all its uses of the technology are taken into account.
Another problem for many non-technology companies is talent. Of the computer science experts who use Kaggle, only about 1,000 have deep learning skills, compared to 100,000 who can apply other machine learning techniques, says Mr Goldbloom. He adds that even some big companies of this type are often reluctant to expand their pay scales to hire the top talent in this field.
The biggest barrier to adapting to the coming era of “smart” applications, however, is likely to be cultural. Some companies, such as General Electric, have been building their own Silicon Valley presence to attract and develop the digital skills they will need.
Despite the obstacles, some may master this difficult transition. But companies that were built, from the beginning, with data science at their center, are likely to represent serious competition.
59. Which one is an obstacle for many traditional companies to popularize learning operations?
A. Technological problem. B. Expert crisis.
C. High cost. D. Customer interactions.
60. What can NOT be inferred from the passage about the machine learning?
A. Machine learning operations are costly in Netflix.
B. Machine learning plays an important role in existent applications.
C. Machine learning experts are not highly paid in some non-technology companies.
D. Machine learning models are not sufficient to solve business problems in Pinterest.
61. What is the author’s main purpose in writing this article?
A. To point out the problems facing machine learning experts.
B. To call on companies to cultivate more experts in data science.
C. To tell the readers the present situation of data science.
D. To advise non-technology companies to look beyond the advantages they face.
62. Which of the following is the best title for this passage?
A. Data science: a forefront force in tech business
B. Corporate competition: an obstacle to the transition
C. Machine learning : a key to smart technology
D. Technique experts: a decisive factor of the coming era
Section C
Directions: After reading the passage below, choose the best answers from the six statements according to what you have just read.
A.
But that should come as no surprise.
B.
Our brain-body connection has never been so strong.
C.
Pugh’s claim appears to be widely challenged among scientific circles.
D.
Yet each new insight raises more questions, while it also casts age-old problems in a new light.
E.
We seem to have a long way to go before we will be able to shed any further light on the structure of the brain.
F.
However, it can feel like an amazing achievement to establish even basic facts, such as how many different kinds of brain cells we have.
Your Incredible Brain
Physicist Emerson Pugh once said that if the human brain were so simple that we could understand it, we would be so simple that we couldn’t. Thankfully, the complexity of brain is so great that we are not simple and neither, therefore, is the task of understanding it.
(63) _______________ Our latest attempt to count them suggests there are 75 different types in the neocortex alone, the area responsible for our most advanced thoughts and behaviors.
That isn’t to say our efforts to explore the brain’s mysteries are in vain. Despite Pugh’s observation, we are always learning more and more about how a 1.5-kilogram lump of tissue that flutters and crackles inside our skull can come up with our most elaborate ― behaviors. (64) _______________
Breakthroughs in the understanding of how our brain stitch (缝合) together our sense of reality are redefining what it means to be conscious. They are also highlighting the persistent power of the mind, even in the cases in which our bodies hide all signs of awareness.
We don’t appear to be heading towards a world of jars full of brains, bodies thrown away, just yet though. (65) _______________ Gut thinking is not just a clever turn of phrase: microbes in our intestines (肠道) affect our risk for neurological conditions, and can influence our mood and mental health.
And when it comes to preventing cognitive decline, physical activity is crucial. Still, let’s not reject a sci-fi future entirely ― we know, for instance, that magnetic stimulation can have many uses, from treating depression to supercharging our brain’s processing power, effectively making us smarter.
The human brain has many more revelations in store, and they may require us to rethink old ideas or correct our assumptions. (66) _______________ After all, between our ears lies the most complex object in the known universe.
第II卷 （共23分）
I．Summary Writing
Directions:?Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main point(s) of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible.?
Envy
It's a familiar but uncomfortable feeling. Your best friend will marry a handsome doctor, and the congratulatory hug you offer lacks genuine warmth. Your friend is made the team for Saturday’s big game, and you take a certain pleasure in telling him you can't be there to watch him play. You smile but a voice in your head asks, why them and not you?
Envy is a shortcoming of character we like to keep in our heart secretly. How shameful is it not to be looking forward with delight to your day as your best friend’s bridesmaid! Who would hope your friend might suffer some injury, so you can take his place on the team?
Envy is everywhere. It seems to be in our nature to hate others’ gifts and good fortune, especially if we see them as advantages they shouldn't have.
Envy raises its ugly head when we focus on what we want but we don't possess now. Worse still, we may even wish for and take pleasure in someone’s losing what we have always desired. When you compare yourself and your life unfavorably with your friend or your colleague, you can only keep your darker emotions.
So, is there a solution? Is there anything you can do to get rid of this most ungenerous emotion? Well, why not make envy the motivation you need for self-improvement? The best weapon against envy is not to compete where you can’t shine, but to do your absolute best where you can.
Start by making peace with yourself, and accept the gifts which make you unique. Make an agreement with yourself to be the best you can be. Then find the qualities in others that cause your envy. Is it someone’s singing voice, their work promotion, their new car? Envy shows us the things we’d like to have. So, make a plan to earn what’s important to you.
And aim for genuine pleasure in the achievements and good fortune of others. Cheer on your friend when he scores that goal. Enjoy your best friend’s wedding day. Then go out and do something special, and make yourself wonderfully proud of you.
II. Translation
Directions: Translate the following sentences into English, using the words given in the brackets.
68. 世界各地的洪水往往与滥砍滥伐密切相关。(relate)
69. 在深秋，穿行在夹杂着绿色、红色和金色的树林中，不胜惬意。(touch n.)
70. 为了让后人有鱼吃，许多国家已经对一次捕捞量作了限制。(limit)
71. 是这位年轻学者的热忱、好奇心与坚持帮助她赢得了学术权威的信任。(It)
高二第二次月考英语答案
第I卷
I. Listening comprehension:
Section A: 1-5 ACBBC 6-10 ABDCA
Section B: 11-13 CAB 14-16 DCB 17-20 DCBA
II. Grammar & Vocabulary:
Section A:
21. how 22. one 23. on 24. the 25.although/though/ while
26. has seen 27. to analyze 28. due to/because of/owing to 29. should 30. the less
Section B: 31-35 JCHAE 36-40 IBGKF
III. Reading
Section A: 41-45 BDCAC 46-50 BDBCC 51-55 CABBD
Section B: 56-58 BA C 59-62 CDCA
Section C: 63-66 FDBA
第II卷
I. Summary Writing (Possible version)
Envy is a common but unpleasant feeling, which is a secret hidden in your heart. This nature usually arises when we can’t get what we want and even take delight in others’ losing it. To avoid this negative feeling, firstly try to transform envy into motivation to improve ourselves. Besides, accept your unique talents gladly. Finally, appreciate others’ achievements sincerely. (60)
II. Translation
68. 世界各地的洪水往往与滥砍滥伐密切相关。(relate)
Flooding around the world is often closely related to deforestation / extensively cutting trees down / extensive cutting down of trees.
69. 在深秋，穿行在夹杂着绿色、红色和金色的树林中，不胜惬意。(touch n.)
It is pleasant walking through the trees with touches of green and red and gold late in the fall.
70. 为了让后人有鱼吃，许多国家已经对一次捕捞量作了限制。(limit)
Many countries have limited / have set limits on / for the number of fish to be caught at one time/ the catch to leave enough fish (to eat) for future generations.
71. 是这位年轻学者的热忱、好奇心与坚持帮助她赢得了学术权威的信任。(It)
It was the young scholar’s enthusiasm / passion, curiosity and perseverance that helped her win the trust of the academic authority.
听力原文
Section A
Directions: In Section A, you will hear ten short conversations between two speakers. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. The conversations and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a conversation and a question about it, read the four possible answers on your paper, and decide which one is the best answer to the question you have heard.
1. M: Looking at the leading dancer. She makes me feel that she’s really dancing on the clouds.
W: Yes. And we are surrounded by the dreamlike music. There’s no way that you can get such a feeling watching TV at home.
Q: Where are the two speakers?
2. W: I’m the manager here. I hear that you have a complaint to make.
M: Yes. I paid a deposit for a watch last week and now I’m here to get the watch I ordered. But this is not the model I chose and not even the brand I wanted.
Q: What is the man’s problem?
3. M: Thank God, we are back home. The heat in Washington was terrible. I wish we had gone to the beach instead.
W: Are you kidding? With the museums and restaurants, the temperature became nothing to me. Not to mention all the wonderful shops.
Q: What are the two speakers talking about?
4. M: I don’t know how I can get some extra money. My loan wasn’t approved and it seems I can’t make both ends meet this month.
W: Why not find a roommate? You can earn some 300 dollars in this way.
Q: What does the woman suggest the man do?
5. W: You see, I have never forgotten to water my plants. How come they are still not doing well?
M: Well, maybe you can move them to the place in front of the window and see if that helps.
Q: What does the man mean?
6. W: I hate staying at home. Ever since I got sick, I cannot do anything but watch TV. Hope my doctor can allow me to work soon.
M: Do you want to read some books for a change?
Q: What is the woman’s problem?
7. W: Do you see my red silk blouse? I want to wear it for tomorrow’s party but I can’t find it now.
M:You sent some clothes to the laundry yesterday. Do you think it is still open at this time?
Q: What will the woman most probably do?
8. M: What is our boss doing here today? I thought he had left for his business meeting in Paris.
W: The fog delayed his flight and he has to leave tomorrow.
Q: What can we learn from the conversation?
9. W: You should have taken a wool hat to cover your head on such a cold winter morning.
M: It doesn’t matter. I’m used to it.
Q: What can be learned about the man?
10. M: I heard that you live close to your company. How great! You can get up late in the morning.
W: It’s on the contrary. There is too much traffic. You have to wait for hours to move a step.
Q: What can we learn from the conversation?
Section B
Directions: In Section B, you will hear two passages and one longer conversation. After each passage or conversation, you will be asked several questions. The passages and conversation will be read twice, but the questions will be spoken only once. When you hear a question, read the four possible answers on your paper and decide which one is the best answer to the question you have heard.
Questions 11 through 13 are based on the following passage.
Not everything goes the way you want it to. You may go to a restaurant and order a nice meal. But your order is wrong or not cooked properly. You may buy a product that breaks the next day. These kinds of experiences make you want to complain. However, if you speak angrily to people, they will defend themselves. Then they are less likely to help you. A more effective way to get what you want is to stay calm. Use polite language and a friendly tone of voice. Start with phrases such as, “I’m sorry to bother you, but…” or “Excuse me, but could you…?”
When trying to correct a problem, don’t blame the person you’re talking to. There’s no faster way to make someone defend themselves than by blaming them. Use the phrase, “I know this isn’t your fault, but…” or “There has been a misunderstanding.” These phrases let people know you are only angry at the situation. Assigning blame isn’t as important as getting a problem fixed!
There are honest mistakes, but at times someone may try to take advantage of you. In that case, don’t say “Hey! You’re trying to cheat me! Instead use the phrase, “I understand that…” For example, “I understood that the service charge was included in the price.” Then give the person a chance to answer.
If you don’t get what you want with polite conversation, ask to speak to a manager or supervisor. But usually, you’ll find that polite words and a smile will resolve a situation.
(Now listen again, please.)
Questions:
11. What’s the talk mainly about?
12. What will happen if customers make complaints to managers angrily according to the talk?
13. What behavior is the speaker strongly against?
Questions 14 through 16 are based on the following passage.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone carry your groceries home for you? Or carry your books and supplies around campus? Gita might be the answer to these wishes. It’s a rolling robot that carries your things wherever you want to go.
Unlike the robots in the Star Wars, Gita can’t have a conversation. However, it will faithfully transport your things to a desired destination---with or without you.
Gita follows the wearer of a special belt that communicates through Wi-Fi. Both the belt and robot have built-in cameras to help Gita find its way. It can also be programmed to reach a certain location on its own. Security is maintained as Gita requires fingerprint identification to open. It can also communicate with other Gitas to form a line of travelling devices. While Gita isn’t available yet, you can see how convenient and practical it can be.
(Now listen again, please.)
Questions:
14. What is Gita used for according to the talk?
15. What helps Gita find its way?
16. What does the author think of the device?
Questions 17 through 20 are based on the following conversation.
W: I have a lot to do. I need to wash the dishes, clean the house…
M: Why don’t your children help?
W: You’re kidding, right?
M: Of course not. My kids help out.
W: Doing what?
M: Tom waters the plants and takes out the garbage. Shelley cleans the bathrooms and sweeps the floor.
W: That sounds too much work. They’re just kids.
M: Studies show that children who do chores grow up to have better relationships. They also tend to be more successful. Chores teach kids responsibility.
W: My kids are too busy. They don’t get home until nine at night. Then they need to study.
M: We do our cleaning on weekends. Doing chores together helps to create a stronger family tie.
W: But weekends are for fun.
M: Don’t you want your kids to be able to take care of themselves?
W: They will, when the time comes.
M: If you don’t equip them now with the proper skills, will they know how?
W: They will learn how to cook and clean when they need to. Right now that’s my job as the mom.
M: You’re not afraid of spoiling them?
W: Nooo…
M: Well, you risk them not appreciating you.
W: What do you mean?
M: If you do everything for them, they won’t know how hard you work.
W: They also work hard—doing schoolwork. That’s their job.
M: Then you might be put too much importance on academic achievement.
W: I just encourage my kids to their best.
M: With chores they’ll learn to balance different parts of their lives, another needed skills.
W: Perhaps.
M: Doing chores will also improve their self-esteem. They’ll feel pride in helping around the house.
W: I’m not so sure. Kids usually don’t like doing chores.
M: They will get used to it.
W: I doubt it, so I’ll continue doing the chores.
(Now listen again, please.)
Questions:
17. What viewpoint does the man hold in terms of doing chores?
18. What benefits do kids gain if they’re asked to do chores according to the man?
19. What does the woman think about kids doing chores?
20. What are they probably going to do next about kids doing chores?