江西省师大附中、九江一中2016届高三上学期期中考试英语试卷

2016届江西师大附中、九江一中高三联考英语试卷

　　　　　命题：彭娟 熊光华　　审题：徐耀军　　　　2015.11

本试卷分第I卷(选择题)和第II卷(非选择题)两部分。

第I卷

注意事项:

1. 答第I卷前，考生务必将自己的姓名、考生号填写在答题卡上。
2. 选出每小题答案后，用铅笔把答题卡上对应题目的答案标号涂黑。如需改动，用橡皮擦干净后，再选涂其他答案标号。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，你都有10称钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。每段对话仅读一遍。
   1. What's the woman's suggestion?
   1. Taking more clothes.B. Going inside the room.

C. Going for a cup of coffee.

2. Where does this conversation probably take place?

1. In a hotelB. In a concert hall.C. In a meeting room.
   3. Where are the speakers going?
   1. To work.B. For a trip.C. To their neighbors.

4. What does the woman mean?

A. All the TV sets are sold out.

B. All the TV sets are sold at a low price.

C. People are selling their TV sets.

5. What is the probable relationship between the two speakers?

A. Boss and secretary.B. Coach and athlete.C. Doctor and patient.

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。

听下面一段对话，回答第6和第7题。

6. What's the woman?

1. A model.B. An actress.C. A waitress.

7. Where did the woman work before she got the present job?

A. In a restaurant.B. In an art school.C. In a film studio.

听下面一段对话，回答第8和第9题。

8. What does the man want to do?

A. To find a house with low rent.

B. To share a room with his close friend.

C. To rent some place to live in.

9. Why does the man want to live with a lady who has retired?

A. The lady can do housework for him.

B. He needs a place quiet enough to study.

C. He wants to live neat.

听下面一段对话，回答第10至第12题。

10. Where are the speakers?

A. In London.B. In Paris.C. In Italy.

11. What's the probable relationship between the two speakers?

A. Old classmates.B. Husband and wife. C. Members in the school football team.

12. What can we know about the woman when she was a student according to the man?

A. She was not good at languages. B. She always gave wrong answers.

C. She was poor in remembering things.

听下面一段对话，回答第13至第16题。

13. What's the woman speaker?

A. A tour guide.B. A receptionist. C. A shop assistant.

14. What service did the man want?

A. A honeymoon suite (套房). B. A smaller single room.

C. Not mentioned.

15. Where is the Watermill Inn located? .

A. In Florida. B. In New York. C. In California.

16. What kind of information did the man want to get?

A. About the accommodation. B. About the honeymoon trip.

C. About the vacation.

听下面一段独自，回答第17至第20题。

17. Which plays a major role in making this extreme environment?

A. Plants and animals. B. Strong winds. C. Intense heat and little rain.

18. What will happen when people are walking on dunes (沙丘)？

A. They can enjoy the beautiful sight of sand moving.

B. They can see many special plants.

C. They get lost easily during storms.

19. What can we learn about White Sands from the passage?

A. It is one of the largest sand dune fields in the world,

B. People can get to know its natural history while driving into it.

C. People are not allowed to camp here overnight.

20. What is the main purpose of the passage?

A. To attract tourists to White Sands.

B. To describe the history of White Sands.

C. To introduce guided tours to White Sands.

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第二部分 阅读理解(共两节，满分40分)

1. (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
   Summer Holiday Fun 2015!
   The summer holidays are upon us again. Here is our guide to summer holiday fun in Peterborough!
   Peterborough Museum
   The Age of the Dinosaurs is the museum's main attraction this summer. Get up close to prehistoric creatures via some great hands-on exhibits！Watch out for monsters lurking around every ember！The museum is open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday to Saturday，and from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Sundays in August.
   Call 01733 864663 for details.
   Saxon Youth Club
   School holiday fun：Young people aged 13—19 will be able to produce their own music，compete in sports activities，or try their hand at cooking at Saxon Youth Club，Saxon Community Centre，Norman Road，Peterborough every Monday and Wednesday from 3:00 pm. PLUS an aero ball tournament will take place on Thursday,12th August between 3:30 pm and 6:30 pm.
   Call 01353 720274 for details.
   Houghton Mill
   ThroughtheLookingGlass—a new production of the family favorite on Monday 30th，August. Bring rugs or chairs to sit on and a picnic if you wish to eat during the play. Gates open 5:30 pm，performance 6:30 pm—8:30 pm. Tea room will be open until the end of the interval. Adult ￡ 10. Child ￡7. Family ￡20.
   Booking advisable on 0845 4505157.
   Farmland Museum and Denny Abbey
   Farmland Games：From Wellie Wanging to Pretend Ploughing matches，come and join the Farmland Team. Collect your sporting stickers and create a colorful rosette that is fit for a winner！No need to book，just turn up between 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm on Thursday,19th August. Suitable for children aged four and above，each child should be accompanied by an adult and all activities are included in the normal admission price. Tickets Cost：￡ 7 per child.
   For further information，call 01223 810080.
   21. If you are interested in cooking，you can go to ________.
   1. Peterborough Museum B. Houghton Mill
      C. Saxon Youth Club D. Farmland Museum
      22. You want to watch the new play with your parents，so it will cost you ________.
      1. ￡ 7 B. ￡ 17 C. ￡ 27 D. ￡ 20

23. Which of the following activities needs parents' company?

A. Playing farmland games. B. Watching the new play.

C. Competing in sports activities. D. Visiting the dinosaur exhibition.

B

The famous director of a big and expensive movie planned to film a beautiful sunset over the ocean, so that the audiences could see his hero and heroine in front of it at the end of the film as they said goodbye to each other forever. He sent his camera crew out one evening to film the sunset for him.

The next morning he said to the men, “Have you provided me with that sunset?”

“No, sir,” the men answered.

The director was angry. “Why not?” he asked.

“Well, sir,” one of the men answered, “we’re on the east coast here, and the sun sets in the west. We can get you a sunrise over the sea, if necessary, but not a sunset.”

“But I want a sunset!” the director shouted. “Go to the airport, take the next flight to the west coast, and get one.”

But then a young secretary had an idea. “Why don’t you photograph a sunrise,” she suggested, “and then play it backwards? Then it’ll look like a sunset.”

“That’s a very good idea!” the director said. Then he turned to the camera crew and said, “Tomorrow morning I want you to get me a beautiful sunrise over the sea.”

The camera crew went out early the next morning and filmed a bright sunrise over the beach in the middle of a beautiful bay. Then at nine o’clock they took it to the director. “Here it is, sir,” they said, and gave it to him. He was very pleased.

They all went into the studio. “All right,” the director explained, “now our hero and heroine are going to say goodbye. Run the film backwards so that we can see the ‘sunset’ behind them.”

The “sunset” began, but after a quarter of a minute, the director suddenly put his face in his hands and shouted to the camera crew to stop.

The birds in the film were flying backwards, and the waves on the sea were going away from the beach.

24. One evening, the director sent his camera crew out ________.

A. to film a scene on the sea B. to find an actor and an actress

C. to watch a beautiful sunset D. to meet the audience

25. Why did the director want to send his crew to the west coast?

A. Because he changed his mind about getting a sunset.

B. Because he was angry with his crew.

C. Because he wanted to get a scene of sunset.

D. Because it was his secretary’s suggestion.

26. The director wanted to film a sunset over the ocean because ________.

A. it went well with the separation of the hero and heroine

B. when they arrived at the beach it was already in the evening

C. it was more moving than a sunrise

D. the ocean looked more beautiful at sunset

27. After the “sunset” began, the director suddenly put his face in his hands ________.

A. because he was moved to tears

B. as he saw everything in the film moving backwards

C. as the sunrise did not look as beautiful as he had imagined

D. because he was disappointed with the performance of the hero and heroine

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C

In order to help customers find what they want quickly, it’s important to keep the thousands of titles in the Main Street Movies store organized properly. This section of the Employee Handbook will tell you how to organize videos.

Each Main street Movies store has three main sections:

1. New Releases Wall.
2. Film library.
3. Video Games.
   New Releases Wall. Almost 70 percent of movie rentals are new releases, and that is the first place where most customers go when they enter the store. The center section of shelves on this wall holds Hottest Hits. When new titles come into the store, place them on this wall in alphabetical order. The shelves beside Hottest Hits are called Recent Releases. The New Releases Wall, including the Hottest Hits and Recent Releases shelves, holds about 350 titles.
   Film Library. The thousands of titles in the Film Library are organized into categories. The films within each category are displayed alphabetically. Here are the categories and their two-letter computer codes:

   AC	Action	DR	Drama	HO	Horror
   CH	Children	FA	Family	MU	Music
   CO	Comedy	FL	Foreign Language	SC	SCIENCE Fiction

   Foreign Language titles include films that were originally made in a foreign language and films with foreign language subtitles. A sticker on the back of each box tells which type of film it is.
   Video Game. All the video games in Main street Movies are arranged in alphabetical order. Although video games represent only a small percentage of our inventory(库存), they are stolen more often than any other type of goods in our store. Therefore, video games are never displayed on the shelves. Shelves in the Video Game section hold cardboard with pictures and information about each game. When a customer wants to rent a particular game, you then find the game from the locked case behind the counter.
   28. Whom do you think this passage is most probably addressed to?
   1. The readers in the store.
      B. The manager of the store.
      C. The customers in the store.
      D. The salespersons of the store.
      29. In which order are the new movies moved in the store?
      A. From Hottest Hits to Film Library to Recent Releases.
      B. From Film Library to Hottest Hits to Recent Releases.
      C. From Recent Releases to Film Library to Hottest Hits.
      D. From Hottest Hits to Recent Releases to Film Library.
      30. Why can’t video games be seen on the shelves?
      A. Because they’ve been sold out.
      B. Because they’re in the storehouse.
      C. Because they’re in a locked case behind the counter.
      D. Because they represent a small percentage of the inventory.
      31. How can a customer find a film with foreign language subtitles?
      1. Check the computer.
         B. Look at the back of the box.
         C. Check the center section.
         D. Watch a few minutes of the film.
         

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         D
         The Enigma (谜）of Beauty
         The search for beauty spans centuries and continents. Paintings of Egyptians dating back over 4,000 years show both men and women painting their nails and wearing makeup. In 18th-century France, wealthy noblemen wore large wigs (假发）of long, white hair to make themselves attractive. Today, people continue to devote a lot of time and money to their appearance.
         There is at least one good reason for the desire to be attractive：beauty is power. Studies suggest that good-looking people make more money, get called on more often in class, and are regarded as friendlier.
         But what exactly is beauty? It's difficult to describe it clearly, and yet we know it when we see it. And our awareness of it may start at a very early age. In one set of studies, six-month-old babies were shown a series of photographs. The faces on the pictures had been rated for attractiveness by a group of college students. In the studies, the babies spent more time looking at the attractive faces than the unattractive ones.
         The idea that even babies can judge appearance makes perfect sense to many researchers. In studies by psychologists, men consistently showed a preference for women with larger eyes, fuller lips, and a smaller nose and chin while women prefer men with large shoulders and a narrow waist. According to scientists, the mind unconsciously tells men and women that thesetraits —the full lips, clear skin, strong shoulders —equal health and genetic well-being.
         Not everyone thinks the same way, however." Our hardwiredness can be changed by all sorts of expectations —mostly cultural," says C. Loring Brace, an anthropologist at the University of Michigan. What is considered attractive in one culture might not be in another. Look at most Western fashion magazines：the women on the pages are thin. But is this"perfect" body type for women worldwide? Scientists' answer is no; what is considered beautiful is subjective and varies around the world. They found native peoples in southeast Peru preferred shapes regarded overweight in Western cultures.
         For better or worse, beauty plays a role in our lives. But it is extremely difficult to describe exactly what makes one person attractive to another. Although there do seem to be certain physical traits considered universally appealing, it is also true that beauty does not always keep to a single, uniform standard. Beauty really is, as the saying goes, in the eye of the beholder.
         32. People's ideas about beauty ________.
         A. have existed since ancient times
         B. can be easily described
         C. have little influence on a person's success
         D. are based upon strict criteria
         33. In Paragraph 3, the babies in the study ________.
         A. were rated for their appearance
         B. were entered in a beauty contest
         C. were shown photos of a group of college students
         D. were able to tell attractive faces from unattractive ones
         34. The underlined word “traits” in Paragraph 4 probably means ________.
         1. qualitiesB. measurementsC. judgments D. standards

35. We can learn from the passage that ________.

A. the ideas of beauty vary as people grow up

B. the search for beauty is rooted in lack of confidence

C. the standards for beauty are based on scientific researches

D. the understanding of beauty depends on cultural backgrounds

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1. (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。（注意：若你选择的答案为E, 请在机读卡上填涂AB；答案为F, 填涂AC；答案为G, 填涂AD）

How can we all get more laughter into our lives? Here is what the experts suggest:

36. _________

Nancy Alguire, a teacher in Clifton Park, N.Y. was once painfully shy and she seldom laughed. Then she married a circus clown (小丑). “I became interested in the clowns,” she recalls,“ One day I put on a costume and paint my face. That afternoon my whole life changed. I learned to laugh and enjoy life in a way I had never done before.” 37. _________ To this day, she still makes it a rule to be with people who enjoy life and laughing. 

38. _________

It doesn’t take you too much time and can be easy. Collect favorite cartoons and jokes. Also, keep a paper for writing down humor you find in everyday life.“Good ideas come and go fast, you have to capture them quickly or they are gone,” says Virginia Tooper. 

Laugh when you need it most.

“39. _________” says comedian Bill Cosby.“And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it,” he insists. 

Gray Alan, a sociology professor at the University of Minnesota, claims that laughter is a skill we can all gain—because it comes naturally. 40. _________ Just remember: we are just here for a period, so get a few laughs. 

1. You can soften the worst blows through humor.
2. Mix with people who laugh.
3. Practise the art of laughing.
4. Keep a laughter file.
5. He who laughs last laughs best.
6. But it’s also something that has to be developed.
7. People’s joy can affect those around them.

第三部分 英语知识运用(共两节，满分45分)

1. 完形填空(共20小题；每小题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，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
   I lost my elderly mother a few weeks ago. Actually, my mother had fallen over during the night and had not been able to 41 again. She had woken up the neighbors by banging on the wall. The 42 called an ambulance, which took her 43 to the hospital.
   My mother has 44 thought that hospitals are a real horror. She believes that doctors and hospitals give you 45 diseases. My father went to hospital a year ago, and after a few weeks, he 46. The fact that he was also in the final 47 of lung cancer was certainly related, but by my mother's logic, my father's death was 48 with the hospital.
   When a neighbor 49 me up and told me that my mother had been taken off in an ambulance, the first thing I did was similar, which was to ring Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The paramedics(护理人员) had told my neighbor that my mother would 50 be taken there, 51 I was told that no one by that name had been 52, so they gave me the numbers of two other West Midland hospitals. Both of them also 53 that they were holding my mother. I rang the 54 and asked them to find her, but the nice officer said he could only do that if she had been reported as a(n) 55person.
   It took six calls to 56 my mother. She had been in Queen Elizabeth Hospital all along, but because their computer system hadn't been updated overnight, there was no record of her 57. My mother had spent more than a 58 in the hospital when it turned out there was nothing 59 with her. I managed to get her out within 10 days, but only by agreeing that in the future, she would live downstairs. In return, the hospital said they would 60 for a social worker to visit the house three or four rimes a day.
   Luckily, my mother is safe. Thank all the people who have given their help to us.
   41. A. wake up B. get up C. stay up D. light up
   42. A. neighbors B. strangers C. relatives D. friends
   43. A. out B. up C. away D. from
   44. A. consequently B. occasionally C. always D. rarely
   45. A. final B. special C. fatal D. strange
   46. A. passed away B. went away C. passed by D. went by
   47. A. measures B. cures C. stages D. years
   48. A. connected B. faced C. equipped D. pleased
   49. A. cheered B. rang C. scolded D. held
   50. A. willingly B. happily C. likely D. easily
   51. A. but B. and C. when D. or
   52. A. adopted B. admitted C. adjusted D. adapted
   53. A. refused B. said C. denied D. insisted
   54. A. police B. family C. doctors D. nurses
   55. A. old B. dead C. missing D. sick
   56. A. rescue B. locate C. comfort D. persuade
   57. A. illness B. arrival C. checkout D. medicine
   58. A. month B. year C. week D. day
   59. A. interesting B. wrong C. special D. vital
   60. A. allow B. answer C. arrange D. call
   第II卷
   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)
2. (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)或括号内单词的的正确形式。

Woman: Our design class is really interesting. Don't you think so?

Man: Yeah, I like Professor Vargas, 61 sometimes he goes too fast, and I feel like I'm missing something. There's a lot we have 62(remember).

Woman: True. There are a lot of details about all the different styles.

Man: Yeah, there are Art Nouveau, and Art Deco, and Art Moderne... I have a hard time 63 (keep) it all straight.

Woman: I know what you mean.

Man: For example, it seems to me 64 Art Deco and Art Moderne are the same things.

Woman: Well, it's somewhat confusing. They were both popular in 651930s although Art Deco came a little before Moderne. I think Professor Vargas 66(say) Art Deco started at an exhibition in Paris in 1925. Let me check out my notes. Right, Art Deco was a popular international art design movement from 1923 until the 1940s, 67(affect) the decorative arts such as architecture and 68(industry) design, as well as the visual arts such as fashion, painting, the graphic arts and film.

Man: So, they were about the same time. It's one thing that gets confusing. 69 thing is, they seem so similar that it's hard to see why they're 70(consider) different styles.

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第四部分 写作 (共两节， 满分 35分)

1. 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处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误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。
   修改: 在错词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
   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。
   Last weekend, I helped my grandparents with their trip to the Dalian. On Saturday morning, together with my grandparents, I search the Internet for the train schedule, the weather in Dalian, and some hotel informations. In the afternoon, they went to the train station and managed to buy two tickets for my grandparents although there had a long queue. After dinner, I packed the things into the suitcase, what my grandparents would need, such as clothes, glasses, an umbrella, a map. The next morning, I went to the station to show them off. Waved goodbye to them on the platform, I felt happily for them and wished them a safe journey.
2. 书面表达 (满分25分)
   假如你是李华，你的美国笔友Mike想了解你校开设的新课程《通用技术》的情况，你向他作如下的介绍：
   1. 这门课旨在提高学生的实际运用能力；
   2. 通过这门课的学习，你已经学会了修理、设计和制作一些物品；
   3. 你的感受。

注意：1. 词数不少于100；

2. 开头和结尾已经给出，不计入总词数；

3. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；

4. 通用技术— General Technology

Dear Mike,

Thank you for your letter asking about the General Technology, a new course that…

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Hua

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江西师大附中高三英语期中试题 （2015. 11）

参考答案

听力理解 1-5 CBBBA 6-10 AACBB 11-15 AABCB 16-20 ACABA

阅读理解 21-23 CDA 24-27 ACAB 28-31 DDCB 32-35 ADAD

七选五 36-40 BGDAF

完形填空 41-45 BACCC 46-50 ACABC 51-55 ABCAC 56-60 BBCBC

语法填空 61. but 62. to remember 63. keeping 64. that 65. the

66. has said 67. affecting 68. industrial 69. Another 70. considered

短文改错

which

Waving

see

happy

and

was

I

information

searched

Last weekend, I helped my grandparents with their trip to the Dalian. On Saturday morning, together with my grandparents, I search the Internet for the train schedule, the weather in Dalian, and some hotel informations. In the afternoon, they went to the train station and managed to buy two tickets for my grandparents although there had a long queue. After dinner, I packed the things into the suitcase, what my grandparents would need, such as clothes, glasses, an umbrella, ∧ a map. The next morning, I went to the station to show them off. Waved goodbye to them on the platform, I felt happily for them and wished them a safe journey.

书面表达

Dear Mike,

Thank you for your letter asking about the General Technology, a new course that we are taking at school. Here is something about it.

The new course aims to teach us students basic technical skills and improve our designing ability. From the course, I have learned to use various types of common tools safely. I can even repair some things that are broken in my house and community. What’s more, I can design and make an item that is useful in our daily life. We also have to attend a written test for the course before graduation.

In my opinion, we will benefit from such a practical course and we will acquire more knowledge in an interesting way. We enjoy it mainly because the course is closely related to our everyday life.

Yours,

Li Hua

听力材料

Text 1

W: Does it ever get that cold around here ?

M: Not really. It sometimes gets to 20 below. You should prepare some thick clothes.

W: Speaking of cold, how about going for a cup of coffee to warm up?

Text 2

W: Hi, does it start?

M : No. What are your seat numbers?

W: Row 10. Number 18 and 20.

M: That'll be a bit further towards the front then. Those two over there.

Text 3

W: Did you turn off the lights and check the locks on all doors and windows?.

M: Yes, and I told the neighbors we'd be away for three weeks. They'll keep an eye on the house for us. And the Smiths said they would go to China next year., too.

Text 4

M: What's everybody so excited about?

W: Haven't you heard? All the TV sets are on sale this week.

Text 5

M: Come into my office, please. I'd like you to type some letters.

W : Yes, sir. And I think I should remind you that you have a meeting in ten minutes.

Text 6

M: How did you get into modeling, Stacy?

W: Well, when I graduated from art school, I moved to Los Angeles to look for work as an art director in a movie, but I never got any luck. And I was running out of money

M: So what did you do? .

W: I got a job as a waitress in a seafood restaurant. While I was working there, a customer offered me some work as a model. Within a few weeks, I was modeling full time.

M: Wow, what a lucky break!

Text 7

W: So, you want a place to stay. What kind of place are you considering?

M: Maybe a home would be OK, but I don't like young children around. It would be noisy and difficult to study , I'd prefer to live with a lady who has retired.

W: OK, that's no problem. But living with a family in London is very expensive.

M : That's not a big problem. I have some money saved. Besides, I have a part-time job. So I don't think I will have trouble with money.

W : Sounds good. I'll call you if I get some information about that.

M : That's great. Thank you very much

W: You are welcome.

Text 8

M : I say, aren't you Helen Linton? We went to school together, I think.

W: I'm Helen .Linton, .that's right, but who are you?

M: Don’t you remember me? I’m Jordan Williams. I was the fellow who sat at the back and always gave the wrong answers.

W: Oh, it’s you! You were the captain of the school football team.

M : But this is really a surprise. It must be five years since we last met in London, isn't it? And now to run into each other in Paris! Do you come here often?

W: It's my first visit here. I'm on my honeymoon. This is my husband Tom.

M :So you are married. It's very nice to meet you, Tom ! Is this your first trip to Paris, too?

W: Tom doesn't speak English. He comes from a small Italian village.

M: Don't tell me you went wandering around small Italian villages before you met Tom.

W: We met in London. Tom was at a language school there.

M: And how much Italian do you speak? As far as I remember, you weren't that good

at languages at school.

W: Not a word.

M: So you don't speak Italian and Tom doesn't speak English. How on earth did you manage to get married?

W : Looking back, I have no idea .But at least we haven't quarreled yet

Text 9

W: Good afternoon, Watermill Inn, May I help you?

M: I'd like some information about the inn. What kinds of accommodations do you have?

W: For a very special vacation, we have a large honeymoon suite. Or if you prefer, you can reserve a smaller single room.

M: I really hope...

W: To enjoy the beautiful views? You may take an afternoon walk. And after that, you'll want to relax and have a delicious dinner.

M: Well, I don't know. I may be...

W: Too tired to come to the dining room? Don't worry! We are always ready to bring delicious meals to your room.

M: Oh, how nice!

W: Now, when would you like your reservations? What type of room would you like?

M: I'm not quite sure.

W: You can be sure that the Watermill Inn is the finest small hotel in New York State.

M: New York State? I thought I called Florida!

Text 10

White Sands, about 24 kilometers southeast of the city of Alamogordo, New Mexico, is one of the world's great natural wonders. Nature has created huge moving hills of pure white sand. These sand dunes cover more than 70, 000 hectares of desert. It is one of the largest sand dune fields in the United States. The bright white sand dunes are always changing, always moving, like waves on the ocean. Plants and animals struggle to survive in this extreme environment of white sand desert. There is not much rain. The heat in summer is intense. Several kinds of small animals have become white in color in order to hide in the sand.

More than five hundred thousand people visit White Sands each year. They climb on the dunes and observe the moving sea of sand. In the visitor center at the entrance of the park, you can find out special activities and guided walks. You can drive about 13 kilometers into the center of the dunes. Along the way there is information that tells about the natural history of the White Sands. You can also explore the dunes on foot, seeing some unusual and beautiful plants and flowers. You can even camp there overnight. But you must be careful. It is easy to get lost in the waves of moving sand.