江西省南昌二中、临川区一中等2016届高三4月份联考（二）英语试卷

2016届高三年级四月份联考（二）

英语试卷

本试卷分为第I卷（选择题）和第 II卷（非选择题）

第I卷（选择题 满分100分）

 注意事项：1.答第I卷前，考生务必将自己的姓名、班级、考号等信息填写在答题卡上。

2.选出每小题的答案后，用铅笔将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，再填涂其他答案标号。不能答在本试卷上，否则无效。

第一部分 听力（共两节，满分30分）

第一节(共5小题；每小题1.5分，满分7.5分）

听下面5段对话。每段对话后有一个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项，并标在试卷的相应位置。听完每段对话后，你将有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. Why was the man disappointed?

1. The play wasn’t interesting.
   B. The tickets were unavailable.
   C. The play was only for daytime.
   2. What are the speakers going to do?
   1. To see an exhibition. B. To have a meeting. C. To listen to a lecture.

3. What sport does the man like best?

1. Swimming.B. Tennis. C. Golf.

4. What musical instrument does the man play?

1. The piano. B. The violin. C. None.
   5. What is the man’s opinion?
   A. He thinks highly of Jim.
   B. He disagrees with the woman.
   C. He doesn’t care at all.
   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，你将有时间阅读各个小题，每小题5秒钟；听完后，各小题将给出5秒钟的作答时间。每段对话或独白读两遍。
   听第6段材料，回答第6、7题。
   6. Where is Mary?
   1. At the airport.

B. On her way to the airport.

C. On board the aircraft.

7. What does the man plan to do?

A. To find a taxi for Mary. B. To see Mary off. C. To pick up Mary at the airport.

听第7段材料，回答第8至10题。

8. Why is it easier for the woman to learn English?

A. She often talks to English people.

B. She speaks two languages already.

C. She always does her homework right after class.

9. Which of the following is a good way of learning English suggested by the woman?

A. Reading newspapers. B. Keeping diaries. C. Reading aloud in the morning.

10. What is the reason for the man’s poor English learning?

A. Not attending classes regularly.

B. His shyness to practice English.

C. No native speakers to speak to.

听第8段材料，回答第11至13题。

11. What does Dr. Wilson teacher?

A. History. B. English. C. Chemistry.

12. Which subject will Fred probably get an “A” in?

1. History.B. Maths. C. Chemistry.
   13. What will Dr. Wilson do to help Fred have a good chance to get an “A”?
   A. She will give her students more homework..
   B. She will give her students less tests.
   C. She may ask her students to write a composition in English.
   听第9段材料，回答第14至16题。
   14. What bothers Nancy about her neighbor’s son?
   A. He drives too fast.
   B. His radio wakes her children.
   C. He plays his guitar loudly.
   15. When does the noise stop?
   A. When the car is turned off.
   B. At midnight.
   C. In the morning.
   16. What suggestion does Nancy’s friend make?
   A. Nancy should call the neighbors to complain.
   B. Nancy should introduce her children to the neighbors.
   C. Nancy should bring the neighbors a gift to start the topic.
   听第10段材料，回答第17至20题。
   17. What did the man want to do when his car got stuck in a no-parking area?
   A. Leave the police a note.
   B. Call the police station.
   C. Get someone to pull the car away.
   18. Why did the man go to the bank?
   A. Because he had to pay the fine there.
   B. Because he wanted to get small change.
   C. Because he intended to call the traffic police.
   19. How did the man feel about the police officer’s final decision?
   A. Angry. B. Sad. C. Happy.
   20. What was the police officer’s attitude to the letter from the man?
   A. He felt it foolish that the man made up such a story.
   B. He believed the man came across many misfortunes.
   C. He took pity on the unlucky man who had a bad day.
   第二部分 阅读理解（共两节，满分40分）
   第一节 (共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分)
   阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项, 并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
   A
   In America, Virginia Beach has all the elements of a classic seaside resort: brilliant beaches, a lively boardwalk, plenty of restaurants and nightspots, and amusement rides sure to appeal to kids. Many believe Virginia Beach is at its best in the off­season, when the town is less crowded but the weather is still mild.
   Meanwhile, some safety tips should be followed, enjoying the happiness and excitement the beach offers.
   The number 1 safety tip concerns ocean safety: pay attention to Flag conditions posted on the lifeguard stands. Lifeguards post a red flag to warn when the ocean water is dangerous. Take them seriously! Tourists from land­locked regions are particularly easily attracted by the magic of the waves. However, a calm ocean can become risky without warning. Make sure you swim near a lifeguard. Swimming without lifeguard protection is almost five times as great as drowning at a beach with lifeguards.
   Never swim alone. Many drownings involve single swimmer. When you swim with someone else, if one of you has a problem, the other may be able to get help, including signaling for assistance from others.
   Don’t fight the current. The facts show that some 80% of rescues by lifeguards at ocean beaches are caused by currents. These currents are formed by surf and gravity, because once surf pushes water up the slope of a beach, gravity pulls it back. This can create concentrated rivers of water moving offshore. If you are caught in a rip current, don’t fight it by trying to swim directly to shore. Instead, swim parallel to shore until you feel the current relax, then swim to shore. Most rip currents are narrow and a short swim parallel to shore will help bring you to safety.
   21. Tourists believe Virginia Beach is at its best in the off­season because ________.
   A. the towns nearby are empty and the tourists can enjoy quietness
   B. the weather is hot and the tourists can swim in the sea
   C. the beach can offer the tourists happiness and excitement
   D. the weather is still mild and there are fewer tourists in the towns nearby
   22. Which statement below is TURE according to the passage?
   A. Land-locked tourists are more attracted by the beauty of the waves.
   B. The red flag means the ocean is clam and safe.
   C. Swimming near a lifeguard won’t bring you safety.
   D. Fighting the current is exciting and fun.
   23. From the passage, we can infer that ________.
   A. one in five persons swimming in the sea is drowned
   B. if one with a lifeguard were drowning, five persons without lifeguards would be
   C. some 80% people drowning by the currents are rescued by lifeguards
   D. some 20% people drowning by the currents are rescued by lifeguards
   B
   One of my wonderful memories is about a Christmas gift. Unlike other gifts, it came without wrap (包装).
   On September 11th, 1958, Mum gave birth to Richard. After she brought him home from hospital, she put him in my lap, saying, “I promised you a gift, and here it is.” What an honor! I turned four a month earlier and none of my friends had such a baby doll of their own. I played with it day and night. I sang to it. I told it stories. I told it over and over how much I loved it!
   One morning, however, I found its bed empty. My doll was gone! I cried for it. Mum wept and told me that the poor little thing had been sent to a hospital. It had a fever. For several days, I heard Mum and Dad whispering such words as “hopeless”, “pitiful”, and “dying”, which sounded ominous.
   Christmas was coming. “Don't expect any presents this year,” Dad said, pointing at the socks I hung in the living room. “If your baby brother lives, that'll be Christmas enough.” As he spoke, his eyes filled with tears. I'd never seen him cry before.
   The phone rang early on Christmas morning. Dad jumped out of bed to answer it. From my bedroom I heard him say, “What? He's all right” He hung up and shouted upstairs. “The hospital said we can bring Richard home”
   “Thank God” I heard Mum cry.
   From the upstairs window, I watched my parents rush out to the car. I had never seen them so happy. And I was also full of joy. What a wonderful day! My baby doll would be home. I ran downstairs. My socks still hung there flat. But I knew they were not empty; they were filled with love!
   24. What happened to the author on September 11th, 1958?
   A. He got a lovely doll from his parents.
   B. His mother gave him a Christmas gift.
   C. He got a pretty brother called Richard.
   D. He gave birth to a baby called Richard.
   25. What does the underlined word “ominous” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?
   1. Unbelievable.B. Excited. C. Terrible. D. Wonderful.
      26. The father was very ________ when Christmas was coming.
      1. sadB. happy C. hopeful D. disappointed

27. Which is the best title of the passage?

A. A Sad Christmas Day. B. A Special Christmas Gift.

C. Memories of a Happy Family. D. Life with a Lovely Baby.

C

The practice of students endlessly copying letters and sentences from a blackboard is a thing of the past. With the coming of new technologies like computers and smartphones, writing by hand has become something of a nostalgic (怀旧的) skill. However, while today's educators are using more and more technology in their teaching, many believe basic handwriting skills are still necessary for students to be successful—both in school and in life.

Virginia Berninger, professor of educational psychology at the University of Washington, says it's important to continue teaching handwriting and help children acquire the skill of writing by hand.

Berninger and her colleagues conducted a study that looked at the ability of students to complete various writing tasks－both on a computer and by hand. The study, published in 2015, found that when writing with a pen and paper, participants wrote longer essays and more complete sentences and had a faster word production rate.

In a more recent study, Berninger looked at what role spelling plays in a student's writing skills and found that how well children spell is tied to how well they can write. “Spelling makes some of the thinking parts of the brain active, which helps us access our vocabulary, word meaning and concepts. It is allowing our written language to connect with ideas.” Berninger said.

Spelling helps students translate ideas into words in their mind first and then to transcribe (转换) “those words in the mind into written symbols on paper or keyboard and screen,” the study said. Seeing the words in the “mind’s eye” helps children not only to turn their ideas into words, says Berninger, but also to spot (发现) spelling mistakes when they write the words down and to correct them over time.

“In our computer age, some people believe that we don't have to teach spelling because we have spell checks,” she said. “But until a child has a functional spelling ability of about a fifth grade level, they won't have the knowledge to choose the correct spelling among the options given by the computer.”

28. What makes writing by hand a thing of the past?

A. The absence of blackboards in classrooms.

B. The use of new technologies in our daily life.

C. The lack of practice in handwriting.

D. The popular use of smartphones.

29. Berninger’s study published in 2015 ________.

A. focused on the difference between writing by hand and on a computer

B. indicated that students prefer to write with a pen and paper

C. found that good essays are made up of long sentences

D. discussed the importance of writing speed

30. Which of the following best shows the role of spelling?

A. Spelling improves one's memory of words.

B. Spelling ability is closely related to writing ability.

C. Spelling benefits the translation from words into ideas.

D. Spelling slows down finding exact words to express ideas.

31. What conclusion could be drawn from the passage?

A. Computers can help people with their choice of words.

B. Spelling checks can take the place of spelling teaching.

C. Handwriting still has a place in today's classrooms.

D. Functional spelling ability develops fast in the fifth grade.

D

Two friends have an argument that breaks up their friendship forever, even though neither one can remember how the whole thing got started. Such sad events happen over and over in high schools across the country. In fact, according to an official report on youth violence, “In our country today, the greatest threat to the lives of children and adolescents is not disease or starvation or abandonment, but the terrible reality of violence”. Given that this is the case, why aren’t students taught to manage conflict the way they are taught to solve math problems, drive cars, or stay physically fit?

First of all, students need to realize that conflict is unavoidable. A report on violence among middle school and high school students indicates that most violent incidents between students begin with a relatively minor insult (侮辱). For example, a fight could start over the fact that one student eats a peanut butter sandwich each lunchtime. Laughter over the sandwich can lead to insults, which in turn can lead to violence. The problem isn't in the sandwich, but in the way students deal with the conflict.

Once students recognize that conflict is unavoidable, they can practice the golden rule of conflict resolution (解决): stay calm. Once the student feels calmer, he or she should choose words that will calm the other person down as well. Rude words, name­calling, and accusations only add fuel to the emotional fire. On the other hand, soft words spoken at a normal sound level can put out the fire before it explodes out of control.

After both sides have calmed down, they can use another key strategy (策略) for conflict resolution: listening. Listening allows the two sides to understand each other. One person should describe his or her side, and the other person should listen without interrupting. Afterward, the listener can ask non­threatening questions to clarify the speaker's position. Then the two people should change roles.

Finally, students need to consider what they are bearing. This doesn't mean trying to figure out what's wrong with the other person. It means understanding what the real issue is and what both sides are trying to accomplish. For example, a shouting match over a peanut butter sandwich might happen because one person thinks the other person is unwilling to try new things. Students need to ask themselves questions such as these：Howdidthisstart?WhatdoIreallywant?WhatamIafraidof? As the issue becomes clearer, the conflict often simply becomes smaller. Even if it doesn't, careful thought helps both sides figure out a mutual solution.

There will always be conflict in schools, but that doesn't mean there needs to be violence. After students in Atlanta started a conflict resolution program, according to Educators for Social Responsibility, “64 percent of the teachers reported less physical violence in the classroom; 75 percent of the teachers reported an increase in student cooperation; and 92 percent of the students felt better about themselves”. Learning to resolve conflicts can help students deal with friends, teachers, parents, bosses, and coworkers. In that way, conflict resolution is a basic life skill that should be taught in schools across the country.

32. This article is mainly about ________.

A. the lives of school children B. the cause of arguments in schools

C. how to analyze youth violence D. how to deal with school conflicts

33. From Paragraph 2 we can learn that ________.

A. violence is more likely to occur at lunchtime

B. a small conflict can lead to violence

C. students tend to lose their temper easily

D. the eating habit of a student is often the cause of a fight

34. Why do students need to ask themselves the questions stated in Paragraph 5?

A. To find out who is to blame.

B. To get ready to try new things.

C. To make clear what the real issue is.

D. To figure out how to stop the shouting match.

35. The writer’s purpose for writing this article is to ________.

A. complain about problems in school education

B. teach students different strategies for school life

C. advocate teaching conflict management in schools

D. inform teachers of the latest studies on school violence

第二节 （共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）

根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

It is very common for you to find yourself in an unfamiliar situation. 36 Yes, everyone tells you to stand on your own two feet and take responsibility for your action, but if you haven’t experienced a situation before, how can you know what to do?

We usually try our best to do everything on our own and not to rely on others, but at certain times calling for help is the best way forward. You can picture the scene of the man—it is usually a man—driving blindly around an unfamiliar town looking for an address he doesn’t know. 37 And he could certainly get to his appointment on time. It is obvious to everybody in such a case that asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but rather the sensible thing to do.

38 For example, you are looking for a new job and need to write your resume (简历). If your pride prevents you from getting help and you just do the writing yourself, it may well cost the opportunity you are seeking. Similarly, when you just started a new job, you often don’t want to admit that you haven’t got the knowledge to finish a particular task, so you keep going and eventually make things worse than they were. This may lead to a diminishing (贬低) of you in the eyes of the boss. 39

Now you can see that asking for help is not a sign of weakness but is the sensible and mature thing to do. 40 Making your life easier by asking for and using knowledgeable help is not a sign of weakness, but is actually quite a clever thing to do.

A. You can accustom yourself to asking for help sooner or later.

B. What’s worse, you are most likely to lose the new job.

C. Actually speaking, asking for help is not a sign of weakness.

D. There are times when you know you don’t have the relevant experience.

E. If only he would stop and ask for directions he could save lots of time.

F. However, many people tend to make mistakes over and over when help is available.

G. You will also recognize expert help would save your time, energy and money.

第三部分 英语知识运用（共两节，满分45分）

第一节 完形填空（共20小题；每题1.5分，满分30分）

阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A, B, C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

Grandma always says, “Gardening is good for the soul.” She lives in the 41 and has a big yard with raised flowerbeds and an organic vegetable patch, but, as her only granddaughter, I live 42 in the city. I always 43 about planting a garden in my neighborhood, but I never had the 44. Last year, the chance came by itself. The building across the way was torn down. The lot (一块地) 45 untouched for months littered with garbage. When I decided to turn the 46 lot into a community garden, I started a difficult but 47adventure.

At first, the difficulties I had 48 me. I had to make phone calls to 49 of the local 15 city offices before the city would give me 50 permission to use the lot. Now with their permission, I put up posters in local grocery stores and buildings 51 volunteers to help pull weeds and 52 garbage, glass, rocks, and bricks. Only two people signed up. I ended up doing most of the 53 myself. Not only did I have to remove tons of garbage in the lot, but I also had to use all my persuasive skills to convince a gang of kids to do their hanging out 54. No matter what 55 I had, the rewards were far greater. 56 I planted some flowers and trees, the place looked 57 and cheerful. More and more people in the community 58 me and wanted to help. Students in our local elementary school planted vegetables. A senior citizens’ group started a small herb garden. I’ve got to know many 59 people in my community by starting this garden. Grandma was 60 : gardening is good for the soul.

41. A. cityB. neighborhood C. countryside D. hospital

42. A. part timeB. once for all C. once in a whileD. full time

43. A. thoughtB. dreamedC. decidedD. talked

44. A. opportunityB. timeC. moneyD. energy

45. A. leftB. keptC. madeD. remained

46. A. darkB. emptyC. stillD. useful

47. A. toughB. easyC. rewardingD. troublesome

48. A. pleasedB. discouragedC. stoppedD. inspired

49. A. bothB. allC. noneD. neither

50. A. writtenB. spokenC. invitedD. appealed

51. A. employingB. dismissingC. wantingD. preventing

52. A. get rid ofB. put up withC. make use ofD. break away from

53. A. shoppingB. watering C. collectingD. clearing

54. A. somewhereB. elsewhereC. nowhereD. everywhere

55. A. advantagesB. chancesC. permissionsD. challenges

56. A. If B. UntilC. AfterD. Before

57. A. quiet B. charmingC. awfulD. excited

58. A. phoned B. foundC. questionedD. agreed

59. A. seniorB. youngC. lessD. more

60. A. cleverB. goodC. rightD. real

第Ⅱ卷（非选择题 满分50分）

注意事项：用0.5毫米黑色笔迹的签字笔将答案写在答题卡上。写在本试卷上无效。

第三部分 英语知识运用（共两节，满分45分）

第二节 （共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分）

阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

My grandfather is a 61 (retire) worker. On summer evenings, he would gather us outside the house to enjoy the cool air, 62 (share) his experiences before liberation.

At the age of fourteen, my grandfather worked as a child laborer in a coal mine. One day, he and his two workmates were working in the tunnel 63 an unfortunate thing happened. A part of the tunnel fell down and they were shut in. They had no food 64 (eat) in the tunnel. When they were hungry, they only drank some water. Because 65 was very cold there, they just hug one another in order to keep warm. They could hardly speak or move as a consequence of physical 66 (weak) and thought they would die.

After67 seemed a long time, the tunnel was dug through and they 68 (rescue). They had been trapped there for fourteen days! My grandfather said they weren’t let out at once. If so, they 69 (die). They were kept at the entrance to the tunnel where it was very dim and were fed on some thin porridge. After a day or two, they had recovered a bit and were 70 (eventual) helped out.

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）

假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处错误，每句中最多有两处，每处仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。

增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（^），并在其下面写出该加的词。

删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。

注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；

2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。

A terrible earthquake strike Wenchuan in 2008. Many people lost their lives and homes. After the earthquake under a fallen building, a mother as well as her baby were found by some soldiers. When the soldiers were ready to taking them away, they surprised to find the baby in the mother’s arms still alive. The baby was sleeping but wasn’t hurt at all. Between the dead mother and the living baby, there was a cell phone with a short message on the screen. It read, “Don’t worry, my baby. Mom is for you. If you can survive, don’t forget that I love you.”

The story moved me deep. I couldn’t hold back my tears when I read these word. One is great if he love others when he is in the danger.

第二节 书面表达（满分25分）

“中国式”过马路是网友对部分中国人集体闯红灯现象的一种调侃，这种现象已经引起人们的普遍关注，同样也引起了中学生对自己日常文明行为的反思。就此，校英语社团举办了一次“交通文明，从我做起”为主题的征文活动，请你以“On the Way to School”为题，写一篇英语短文。内容主要包括：

1. 遵守交通法规；

2. 注意举止文明；

3. 个人建议。

注意：1. 词数100字左右；

2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文流畅；

3. 短文题目已经拟好，不计入总词数。

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2016届高三年级四月份联考（二）

英语试卷参考答案

听力

1—5 BCACB6—10 ACBAB11—15 BACBA16—20 CABCC

阅读理解

21—25 DABCC 26—30 ABBAB 31—35 CDBCC 36—40 CEDBG

完形填空

41—45 CDBAD 46—50 BCBBA 51—55 CADBD 56—60 CBADC

语法填空

61. retired 62. sharing 63. when 64. to eat 65. it

66. weakness 67. what 68. were rescued 69. would have died 70. eventually

短文改错

A terrible earthquake strike Wenchuan in 2008. Many people lost their lives and homes. After the

struck

earthquake under a fallen building, a mother as well as her baby were found by some soldiers. When the

was

soldiers were ready to taking them away, they ∧ surprised to find the baby in the mother’s arms still

take were

alive. The baby was sleeping but wasn’t hurt at all. Between the dead mother and the living baby, there was

and

a cell phone with a short message on the screen. It read, “Don’t worry, my baby. Mom is for you. If you can

with

survive, don’t forget that I love you.”

The story moved me deep. I couldn’t hold back my tears when I read these word. One is great if he

＼

deeply words

love others when he is in the danger.

loves

书面表达

On the Way to School

These days, breaking traffic rules and littering are not uncommon, causing serious harm to life and the environment. Changing this situation requires considerable effort on the part of everyone. As for me, it should start on my way to school.

I will keep traffic rules in mind all the way. If I ride a bike, I’ll always keep to the right and never cross a road until the traffic light turns green. If I walk, I’ll never forget to use the pedestrian crossing. Meanwhile, I will regard it as my duty to help keep our environment clean and healthy. Not only will I keep from littering or spitting anywhere, but I will help clean up the roadside litter whenever possible.

I believe all of us should fight now and spare no efforts to do every little bit every day, every hour and every minute, and thus our behavior will make a difference.

听力材料：

Text 1

M: We were going to the theater Saturday. But unfortunately the play we were most interested in is all sold out.

W: That’s too bad. Why don’t you try to get tickets for a daytime or for another night?

Text 2

W: We’re going to listen to a lecture about environment protection.

M: Really? I thought we’d go to see an exhibition.

Text 3

W: Say, what’s your favorite sport?

M: Hmmm … it’s hard to say. I like golf a lot, and tennis better, but I guess swimming.

Text 4

W: Listen! Somebody’s playing the piano.

M: Yeah, it sounds nice, doesn’t it? I wish I could play a musical instrument.

W: Don’t you play the violin?

M: No, but my sister does.

Text 5

W:Jim looks good in that old coat, doesn’t he?

M:I still wish he’d get a new one.

Text 6

M: Mary! Where are you?

W:I’m still in Edinburgh. The flight’s been delayed.

M: You caught me just in time. We were about to leave for the airport.

W: I know, Janet said so. I’m glad I phoned. You’d have had a long wait otherwise.

M: When will you be leaving, do you think?

W: Oh, not for an hour at least. Look, don’t bother to come out to the airport.

M: It’s no trouble. We’ll meet you.

W: No, I’d rather you didn’t. Honestly.

M: Now, don’t be silly, Mary. We’ll collect you.

W: No, Bruce, I’d rather get a taxi.

M: We’ll be there, Mary! See you later.

Text 7

M: It’s so hard for me to learn English. Why is it so easy for you?

W: I didn’t know you were having problems. Maybe it’s easier for me because I already speak two languages. But also, I really work at it.

M: Well, I always do my homework and go to classes. What else do you think would help?

W: Well, you might try reading newspapers. And I always talk to Americans when I get a chance, though sometimes it’s hard.

M: But, how do you meet Americans? I only know other foreign students.

W: How about sitting next to an American at lunch, or have you ever thought of asking someone over to your house for dinner?

M: Those are good ideas, but I’m a little shy to speak English.

W: You won’t learn if you don’t try and speak. If I were you, I’d talk to your English teacher. He might have some good ideas.

Text 8

M: Dr. Wilson, can I talk to you for a minute?

W: Sure, Fred, what is it?

M: I’m worried about my grade in your English class. I really want an “A”, but …

W: I see. Well, it might be hard for you to get an “A”. So far you have a “B” average. You would need a 97 or 98 on your final exam to get an “A”. Do you think you can get that high a score?

M: Probably not. The problem is that I have to have a “B” average in all the subjects to get the prize from our government, otherwise I’ll have to find a part-time job. I’m afraid it is difficult for me to put all my heart in my study if I have to work in my spare time. I’ll probably get an “A” in history and a “B” in maths, but I’ll get a “C” in Chemistry.

W: It is a problem, isn’t it? You’ll have to get an “A” in English to get a “B” average.

M: Yes, but things don’t look very good for me right now.

W: I gave two less tests this term than I usually do. That might have changed your grade a little. Maybe I’ll give everybody a chance to write a composition in English. Then you’ll have a good chance to get an “A”.

M: That would be great. I’ll try my best. Thank you very much.

Text 9

M: How are your new neighbors, Nancy?

W: They seem nice enough, but they have a son who’s driving me crazy.

M: What do you mean?

W: He comes home every night around 10 with his car window rolled down and radio on.It stops as soon as he turns the car off. But by then Brian and Lisa are wide awake.

M: Oh, no.

W: Oh, yes. Sometimes it takes us till mid-night just to get them to settle down again.

M: Have you tried taking to them?

W: We haven’t even really met them yet except to say a quick hello. I hate to get off on the wrong foot.

M: You are not going to like them when you do meet them if you keep on simmering.

W: I know, but I feel stupid complaining.

M: You said yourself it is driving you crazy.

W: Well, you know how early I have to get up to be here at the office. I’m just not getting enough sleep and neither are the kids. They’re so irritable when I get home in the afternoon.

M:Maybe you could go over sometime with a little gift; a plant for the yard or something. Then you could ask about their son whether they have any other children and they’ll be sure to ask about yours.

W: Yeah, and then what?

M: Then you could mention that the hardest thing at this stage is getting your kids to get to sleep at night.

W: And keeping them asleep.

M: That’s the idea. And you should do it soon. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to do politely.

Text 10

It was a bit of bad luck when the man’s car broke down — he was stuck in a no-parking area. So he went into a store to borrow a pen and paper to leave a note for the traffic police. The pen, however, was like his car. It didn’t work. When he decided to go back to the store to buy a pen, he found another little problem. He only had a ＄50 bill and the salesman couldn’t change it. So he went off to find a bank to change the bill. As he left the bank he saw a phone box. He decided to call a garage to send a truck to pull the car away, but the number was busy. When he got back to his car he found a parking ticket on the car. The story has, however, a happy ending. The driver wrote to the police station to explain what had happened. The police officer who read the letter decided not to punish him with the ＄20 parking fine. He said that even if the man’s story was not true, it was so clever he could be excused from being fined!