2018-2019学年湖北省随州市第二中学高二9月起点考试英语试题 Word版

2018-2019学年湖北省随州市第二中学高二9月起点考试英语试题 Word版

随 州 二 中 2017 级 高 二 年 级 九 月 起 点 考 试 英 语 试 题 第一部分：听力（共两节，满分30分）做题时，先将答案标在试卷上。录音内容结束后，你将有两分钟的时间将试卷上的答案转涂到答题卡上。‎ 第一节（共5小题；每小题1.5分，满分7.5分）‎ 听下面5段对话。每段对话后有一个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项，并标在试卷的相应位置。听完每段对话后，你都有10秒钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。每段对话仅读一遍。‎ ‎1. What does the man want to do?‎ A. Build a garden B. Water the flowers C. Pick some flowers ‎2. Why does the woman want to return the dress?‎ A. It is too expensive. B. It is the wrong size. C. It is of poor quality.‎ ‎3. Where does the conversation probably take place?‎ A. At home. B. At school. C. In a restaurant.‎ ‎4. What is the man doing?‎ A. Making a phone call. B. Applying for a job. C. Preparing a speech.‎ ‎5. What are the speakers talking about?‎ A. The man’s health. B. The man’s breakfast. C. The man’s favorite food.‎ 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至7题。 ‎ ‎6. Why does the man feel upset?‎ A. He lost his money. B. He made a big mistake. C. He quarreled with his boss.‎ ‎7. What does the man decide to do?‎ A. Be more careful. B. Make an apology. C. Leave the company.‎ 听第7段材料，回答第8至9题。‎ ‎ 8. What do the speakers think of Mia’s act?‎ A. Inspiring. B. Unbelievable C. Annoying ‎9. What do the speakers plan to do?‎ A. Go to the shop. B. Turn to Mia for help. C. Take exercise together.‎ 听第8段材料，回答第10至12题。 ‎ ‎ 10. Why will the woman go to the park?‎ ‎ A. To meet a friend . B. To talk with others. C. To play with the man.‎ ‎ 11. When will the speakers meet tomorrow?‎ ‎ A. At 4:00pm. B. At 5:00 pm. C. At 6:00 pm.‎ ‎12. What’s the most probable relationship between the speakers?‎ A. Dance partners. B. School friends. C. Family members. ‎ 请听第9段材料，回答第13至16题。‎ ‎ 13. How often does Brian visit his grandma’s town?‎ ‎ A. Once a year B. Twice a year. C. Once a month.‎ ‎ 14. What does Brian think of the town?‎ ‎ A. Clean and quiet. B. Crowded and noisy. C. Quiet and less developed. ‎ ‎ 15. Why do few people in big cities go to work by bike?‎ ‎ A. It is too slow. B. It makes people tired. C. It is unsafe to ride in traffic.‎ ‎16. What does the woman think are necessary in big cities?‎ ‎ A. Car-only paths B. Bus-only paths C. Bike-only paths 请听第10段材料，回答第17至20题。‎ ‎17. What is the aim of the new rule?‎ ‎ A. To improve children’s living skills. ‎ B. To reduce inequality in education ‎ C. To build more responsible schools.‎ ‎18. Why will the rule make little difference in France?‎ A. Most parents disagree with the rule. ‎ B. Most children start attending schools at 3 now. ‎ C. Most people have no confidence in early education.‎ ‎19. What is the school starting age in Finland?‎ A. 3 years old B. 5 years old C. 7 years old ‎20. What is the speaker doing?‎ A. Hosting a news program ‎ B. Giving a speech on education. ‎ C. Commenting on a problem in France. ‎ 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。‎ A Big Messaging Apps Abroad While WeChat is China’s biggest mobile messaging app, there are many similar apps in other countries that offer similar features.‎ WhatsApp (US)‎ Users: more than 300 million Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows Phone, BlackBerry Features: Text chat, push-to-talk, file sharing, location sharing With more than 300 million active users, WhatsApp is one of WeChat’s biggest competitors.‎ Developed by two ex-Yahoo employees in 2009, WhatsApp originally focused on text chat, but on Aug. 6 it also started push - to - talk service. It’s noted for its accessibility, easy use and the absence of advertisements. The service is free for the first year, after which $ 0.99 (6. 06 yuan) is charged for a one –year subscription.‎ Kakao Talk (South Korea)‎ Users: more than 100 million Platform: Android, iOS, windows Phone, BlackBerry and Bada (an operate system developed by Samsung)‎ Features: Text chat, group chat, push–to–talk, group calls, file sharing With more than 100 million users in more than 230 countries, Kakao Talk is a multi - platform (多平台) texting application that allows users to send and receive messages for tree. With Kakao Talk, users can message each other one-on-one or in group chats with unlimited numbers of friends. You can also choose from more than 250 animated emoticons and share them with friends.‎ Line (Japan)‎ Users: more than 200 million Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows Phone, BlackBerry and PC Features: Text chat, group chat, push–to–talk, file sharing, location sharing, gaming, stickers Line tops the list of the most downloaded free apps in 52 countries. Apart from text and voice messaging, Line provides its users with more than 250 original stickers and emotions to buy from its own shop. In the first quarter of 2013 alone, it made $ 17 million just from stickers. The popular app also allows friends to battle each other in the Line games.‎ ‎21. The first paragraph of the passage is used to_____________________.‎ A. introduce the most popular mobile messaging apps in ‎China B. talk about new features in the latest mobile messaging apps C. draw readers’ attention to various popular mobile messaging apps D. explain how mobile messaging apps have become so popular ‎22. Compared with the other two apps, which of the following features makes Line stand out?‎ A. Push-to-talk. B. Stickers . C. File sharing. D. Text and group chat.‎ ‎23. One of the popular features of WhatsApp is that users_____________________.‎ A. can send and receive messages for free B. can enjoy live video chats within groups C. regularly set free stickers and emoticons D. don’t need to worry about unwanted ads B Service Foods makes it easier for cooks to reduce mealtime complaints. Service Foods is so confident that they can reduce complaints, and in fact, that the company is offering a series of mealtime complaint-reduction tips.‎ According to a representative of Service Foods, complaints can occur when busy cooks serve substandard（不达标的）, low quality meats. As products sit in packaging in the meat case at the store, the meat can age out too much. The natural flavor disappears, and it can be replaced with an undesirable strange flavor. According to Service Foods, complaints from children are common when you serve substandard meats. Kids may not have the words to describe why they don't like the meats, but they're certainly willing to express their displeasure. By serving meats from Service Foods, complaints can be reduced. Service Foods meats are all natural and organic, meaning the meats have no chemicals or water or colorings that could change the taste. And the meats are flash-frozen right after cutting, so they won't taste strange to your children.‎ If you're facing different types of complaints, Service Foods may still be able to help you. Some families have mealtime boredom. The same meals, served in the same way, week after week, can be unbelievably boring and hard to look forward to. When it comes to these complaints, Service Foods has the answer right on the web. Just go to http:// www. Servicefoods.com and you’ll find a long list of recipes（菜谱） to try. Some of these recipes are made in demonstration format（示范格式）, so you can watch the video and get step-by-step instructions on how to prepare the meals. By following these recipes from Service Foods, complaints relating to boredom can certainly be reduced.‎ While Service Foods knows complaints at mealtime can never be totally eradicated, as picky kids will always be picky kids with concerns, the company is doing everything possible to deal with the problem and get cooks the help they need.‎ ‎24. Service Foods can solve mealtime boredom by ______.‎ A. serving flash-frozen meat B. expressing children's complaints C. instructing different ways of cooking D. supplying natural food without chemicals ‎25 .The underlined word "eradicated" in the last paragraph can be replaced with ______.‎ A. covered B. accepted C. reduced D. removed ‎26. From the passage we can learn that Service Foods can do the following EXCEPT ______.‎ A. help reduce complaints about foods B. teach how to prepare meals C. provide natural and organic meat D. cook food for picky kids ‎27. What will the readers probably do after reading the passage?‎ A. Pay for Service Foods service. B. Buy organic meat from now on.‎ C. Write recipes for Service Foods. D. Answer complaints on the web.‎ C About 150 years ago, a village church priest, Patric Bronte, in Yorkshire, England, had three lovely, intelligent daughters but his hopes fell entirely on the only male successor(继承人), Branwell, a youth with remarkable talent in both art and literature.‎ Branwell’s father and sisters saved their pennies to pack him off to London’s Royal Academy of Arts, but if art was his calling, he dialed a wrong number. Within weeks he ended up going back home, a penniless failure.‎ Hopes still high, the family landed Branwell a job as a private tutor, hoping this would free him to develop his literary skills and achieve the success and fame that he deserved. Failure again.‎ Still, the selfless sisters set aside their own goals, farming themselves out as teachers and governesses in support of their increasingly indebted brother, convinced the world must eventually recognize his genius. As failure multiplied, Branwell turned to alcohol, then opium, and eventually died as he had lived: a failure. So died hope in the one male — but what of the three sisters?‎ During Branwell’s last years, the girls published a book of poetry at their own expense (under a pen name, for fear of reviewers’ prejudice against females). Even Branwell might have laughed: they sold only two copies.‎ They didn’t give up. Instead, they continued in their spare time, late at night by ‎ candlelight, to pour out their contained emotion, writing of what they knew best, of women in conflict with their natural desires and social condition, in reality, less fiction than autobiography (自传)! And 19th century literature was transformed by Anne’s Agnes Grey, Emily’s Wuthering Heights, and Charlotte’s Jane Eyre.‎ But years of sacrifice (牺牲) for Branwell had eventually ruined their health. Emily took ill at her brother’s funeral and died within 3 months, aged 29; Anne died 5 months later, aged 30; Charlotte lived only to age 39. If only they had been highly thought of instead of sacrificed.‎ No one remembers Branwell’s name, much less of his art or literature, but the Bronte sisters’ tragically short lives teach us even more of life than literature.‎ ‎28. What might lead to the sad ending of the three Bronte sisters?‎ A. That to be a writer was a really tough road to go.‎ B. The social prejudice against women in those days.‎ C. Their poor family.‎ D. The failure of their brother.‎ ‎29. What does the underlined part probably mean in paragraph 2 ?‎ A. He gave a wrong call to a person. ‎ B. He shouldn’t have spent much on art.‎ C. He was not talented in art at all. ‎ D. He was actually not promising on the way of art.‎ ‎30. According to the passage, what can be inferred from the story of Branwell?‎ A. Gift is not necessarily a guarantee of success.‎ B. Gift is a burden for a person.‎ C. A person’s success is largely due to the support of his family.‎ D. Too many choices may lead to success in none.‎ ‎31. Were Patric Bronte alive, what might he regret most?‎ A. Not taking good care of his children. B. Intending his son for an artist or a writer.‎ C. Putting all of his eggs in one male basket. D. Sacrificing too many pennies for ‎ his son.‎ D According to a new research from the University of Cambridge in England，sheep are able to recognize human faces from photographs．‎ The farm animals, who are social and have large brains, were previously known to be able to recognize one another, as well as familiar humans. However, their ability to recognize human faces from photos alone is novel．‎ The recent study, the results of which were published in the journal Royal Society: Open Science, shows the woolly creatures could be trained to recognize still images of human faces， including those of former President Barack Obama and actress Emma Watson．‎ Initially, the sheep were trained to approach certain images by being given food rewards．Later，they were able to recognize the images for which they had been rewarded．The sheep could even recognize images of faces shown at an angle, though their ability to do so declined by about 15percent - the same rate at which a human's ability to perform the same task declines.‎ ‎"Anyone who has spent time working with sheep will know that they are intelligent, individual animals who are able to recognize their handlers,” said Professor Jenny Morton, who led the Cambridge study. "We've shown with our study that sheep have advanced face-recognition abilities, close to those of humans and monkeys."‎ Recognizing faces is one of the most important social skills for human beings, and some disorders of the brain, including Huntington's disease, affect this ability．‎ ‎"Sheep are long-lived and have brains that are similar in size and complexity to those of some monkeys. That means they can be useful models to help us understand disorders of the brain, such as Huntington's disease, that develop over a long time and affect cognitive(认知的) abilities. Our study gives us another way to monitor how these abilities change," Morton said.‎ ‎32. According to the new research， what's unusual about sheep? ___ A. They have large brains close to monkeys. ‎ B. They can recognize their handlers. C. They can tell animals from humans. ‎ D.They can recognize human faces from photographs.‎ ‎33．How did the researchers train the sheep?___ A. By guiding them to follow their handlers. ‎ B. By showing photos of humans and monkeys by turns. C. By rewarding them with food. D. By showing photos of famous people.‎ ‎34. What can be inferred from the passage? ___ A. Sheep have a higher face-recognition ability than monkeys． B. The sheep's face-recognition ability stays the same when shown photos at any angle． C. The sheep's face-recognition ability may prevent some disorders of the brain．‎ D. The new discovery is beneficial to the study of cognitive ability changes．‎ ‎35. What's the best title of the passage?___ A. How Sheep Recognize Human Faces. B. A New Discovery About Sheep. C. A Scientific Way Of Feeding Sheep. D. The Secret Life of Sheep.‎ 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。‎ Social media and the mobile web have given rise to a strange phenomenon called the selfie(自拍). It refers to a picture of yourself, usually shared on any social networking website.‎ ‎ 36 Some selfies are extreme close-ups(特写镜头), and others show part of an arm held straight outward. A few of them even feature the subject standing in front of a bathroom mirror.‎ Everyone takes selfies, but the younger crowd seems to be especially involved in the trend. Young people are relatively heavier digital users. They are interested in staying connected to their friends. 37 .‎ There are also kinds of psychological(心理的) factors driving people to take a selfie and upload it to a social networking site. 38 A quick and easy way to attract other's attention is to get "likes" and comments from friends. Secondly, it's ‎ human nature to show off your own great achievements. When you feel good about yourself or look good, it's far too easy to take out your phone and record it all through one or several selfies. 39 That's right. Sometimes people are bored at work, bored at school, bored at home and even bored on the toilet. Last but not least, social media is about being social! If that means uploading as many selfies as possible, then so be it. It's fun, and it's a cool way to sort of record your own life.‎ Finally, there are things to be mindful of when you're posting. It's easy to think you're sharing a photo with a few people. 40 So don't post anything online, selfie especially.‎ A. The desire to take, post and get "likes" on selfies goes back to a biological behavior.‎ B. To some degree, social media is the driving force of their selfie activity.‎ C. The rise of selfies has become universal.‎ D. There are lots of selfie styles.‎ E. But the whole world of social media is public and every individual can get access to it.‎ F. There are also people who will take selfies because they have nothing else better to do.‎ G. The leading factor is that people want to get attention from as many people as possible.‎ 第三部分 语言知识运用（共两节，满分45分）‎ 第一节（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A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。‎ Medical bills were piling, kids needed glasses, cars needed repairs and the dog needed surgery. On top of that, Christmas was 41 , so presents needed to be purchased (买).‎ But all of those were 42 when my husband, Brian, was waiting in our local tire(轮胎) shop to have his six truck tires 43 on a snowy night. He overheard the tire salesman 44 a young mom with 3 children that she was in bad 45 of ‎ all new tires, as each one was almost 46 out. 47 , the young mom said she didn’t have the money to replace more than one tire on her car.‎ On hearing that, Brian 48 to pay for a tire to be installed(安装), 49 of the one tire this woman was able to buy. Brian knew that even though it was just a start, the young mom would be much 50 driving on the 51 roads with a balanced set of two new tires than they would with just one new tire.‎ The young mom was so surprised that she 52 choked up（哽咽）. Eyes filled with tears, she thanked Brian and pulled away.‎ My husband is a naturally modest, 53 man who feels rewarded in giving rather than 54 in life. So imagine his unexpected 55 , when he later discovered the salesman had 56 the entire amount spent on the woman’s one 57 tire to his bill! The salesman only 59 him for six tires 58 the seven my husband bought.‎ The simple act of one man making the decision to share what he had, instead of worrying about what he would 60 , made a difference that night.‎ ‎41.‎ A. getting B. leaving C. approaching D. waiting ‎42.‎ A. solved B. changed C. purchased D. forgotten ‎43.‎ A. replaced B. abandoned C. thrown D. examined ‎44.‎ A. persuade B. mention C. warn D. explain ‎45.‎ A. danger B. need C. place D. face ‎46.‎ A. taken B. broken C. worn D. pulled ‎47.‎ A. Angrily B. Sadly ‎ C. Impatiently D. Unnecessarily ‎48.‎ A. hurried B. used C. tried D. offered ‎49.‎ A. front B. sure C. opposite D. back ‎50.‎ A. faster B. safer C. happier D. luckier ‎51.‎ A. dark B. hard C. icy D. long ‎ ‎52.‎ A. nearly B. finally C. greatly D. excitedly ‎53.‎ A. humorous B. generous C. meaningful D. intelligent ‎54.‎ A. helping B. using C. thanking D. receiving ‎55.‎ A. satisfaction B. surprise C. chance D. discovery ‎56.‎ A. returned B. added C. paid D. discounted ‎57.‎ A. spare B. old C. whole D. extra ‎58.‎ A. charged B. sold C. asked D. appreciated ‎59.‎ A. more than B. because of C. apart from D. rather than ‎60.‎ A. go for B. go without C. come across D. come over 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。‎ ‎___61_____ (expose) to smoking for a long time, you may find it hard to give it up. And the effects it has _____62_____ you may die hard. But do you know ____63____ it is that results in such a situation? First, amounts of nicotine (尼古丁) you get into your body____64____ (be) the source of your physical addiction（瘾）. Second, your habit is ___65__ (blame) and you just can’t satnd the____66____ (disappear) of nicotine from your body. Third, most probably, you can be ____67____(mental) addicted and believe smoking makes you feel good. However, hard as it is, you still need to handle the situation. Every time you feel anxious(焦虑), just remember by no means should you reach for a cigarette. Another suggestion is that assistance___68___(need) if the situation seems hopeless. Of course, the most important is to ____69____ (strong) your resolve(决心) whenever you want to quit. And you can depend on ____70_ that you can completely get rid of it as long as you keep trying.‎ 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：在错的词下划一横线，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。‎ When we are happy, we would like share our happiness with others, making them know our enjoyment. When we are not in a good mood, we longed to get someone whom can listen to us. Be a listener is not easy. People always complain about our worries, and a good listener should listen to them but learn to comfort them. To be a good listener can help us make good friend with others. The one who always listens to others tend to be easy-going. When he is in the trouble, his friends will be willingly to help him. So let’s learn to be a good listener from now on.‎ 第二节 书面表达（满分25分）‎ 假设你是李华，在一所国际学校就读高中，你决定参加校学生会（the Students’ Union）主席的竞选。现请你用英语准备一份竞选演讲稿，内容包括：‎ ‎1. 自我介绍（性格和爱好等）；‎ ‎2. 当选之后的举措（至少列举两点）。‎ 要求：（1）演讲稿的开头和结尾已为你写好（不计入总词数）；‎ ‎ （2）文中不得出现真实的校名和人名；‎ ‎ （3）字数100词左右。‎ Good afternoon, everyone! Thank you for giving me this opportunity. Now let me introduce myself._______________ ____________________ ‎ ‎______________________________________________________________________ ‎ ‎ _________‎ That’s all. Thanks for your attention!‎ 英 语 试 题 答 案 听力：‎ ‎1-5 CCABB 6-10 BABCA 11-15 ABBAC 16-20 CBBCA 阅读：‎ ‎21-23 CBD 24-27 CDDA 28-31 BDAC 32-35 DCDB ‎ ‎36-40 DBGFE 完型填空：‎ ‎41-45 CDACA 46-50 CBDCB 51-55 CABDB 56-60 ADADB 语法填词：‎ ‎61. (Having been) exposed 62. on 63. what 64. are ‎ ‎65. to blame 66.disappearance 67. mentally 68. be needed ‎ ‎69. strengthen 70. it 改错：‎ ‎71.would like ∧-----to 72. longed-----long 73. whom---who ‎74. Be--Being 75. our----their 76. but -----and ‎ ‎77.friend---friends 78.tend---tends 79.in the trouble去掉the ‎ ‎80. willingly-----willing ‎ 书面表达：‎ Good afternoon, everyone! Thank you for giving me this opportunity. Now let me introduce myself.‎ I’m Li Hua from China. I’m easy-going and warm-hearted, which makes it easy for me to make new friends. Energetic and responsible, I am captain of our school football team. Reading is what I really love, both for fun and knowledge.‎ If I’m lucky enough to be chosen as chairman of the Students’ Union. I will spare no effort to live up to your expectations. More colorful after-school activities will be organized, which will definitely reduce pressure and enrich our school life. Considering we are studying in an international middle school, great importance should be attached to communication. So an international club, where my fellow students can be ‎ exposed to diverse cultures , will be set up, thus enhancing the understanding between the students from different countries.‎ That’s all. Thanks for your attention!‎ 听力原文 Text 1 ‎ M: What beautiful flowers you have in your garden!‎ W: Oh, we grow them every year. I really enjoy watering them every day.‎ M: Would you mind if I get some of them?‎ W: Of course not.‎ Text 2 ‎ W: Excuse me, Sir. Can I return this dress?‎ M: Is there anything wrong with it?‎ W: Yes. I just washed it as required, but it got so small that I couldn’t fit into it. It’s not worth buying.‎ Text 3 ‎ W: Stop staring at your cell phone. It’s lunch time.‎ M: I have to text Mike to tell him that I can’t go out without finishing my homework.‎ W: Alright. Be quick.‎ Text 4 ‎ W: Why do you want to do this part-time job?‎ M: Well, I want to make good use of my free time to gain some work experience. Most importantly, I love working with kids. ‎ W: OK. I’ll inform you in three days if you are accepted. ‎ Text 5 ‎ W: What do you usually eat in the morning?‎ M: I prefer having a hamburger and some potato chips.‎ W: Oh, they are all fast food and can be harmful to your health. You’d better have some green food. ‎ Text 6 ‎ W: Hey, Sam. You look upset. What’s wrong with you?‎ M: Well, my boss got angry with me at work today. I had sent the wrong goods to customers and we lost millions of dollars.‎ W: Oh, it’s a big loss. You were really careless.‎ M: Yes, I know. But I didn’t do it on purpose. I feel very guilty, and I have apologized.‎ W: After all, it’s useless to regret things that have been done. Just remind yourself that you shouldn’t make such a mistake in the future.‎ M: You are right. That’s also what I decide to do.‎ W: OK, get yourself together now.‎ Text 7 ‎ W: Can you believe it? Mia is not even a hundred pounds and she is going on a diet.‎ M: That’s crazy. If I were as skinny as her, I wouldn’t think about going on a diet.‎ W: Me too. But I have been on 4 different diets and I can’t seem to lose any weight.‎ M: Why don’t you go out and do some exercise?‎ W: I do take some exercise. But the problem is I just can’t quit the ice cream. ‎ M: Maybe we can work out together and I can remind you to eat less ice cream at times, so we can both lose some weight.‎ W: Wow, it’s a great idea. Having a friend to back you up is a great way to succeed. ‎ M: Yes. If we work hard, we can look better and feel better.‎ W: Alright. Let’s put it into action.‎ Text 8 ‎ M: Hello, Jennifer. How do you enjoy your stay in this school?‎ W: I enjoy it very much, thank you. I have got used to the life here.‎ M: Great. By the way, what will you do tomorrow?‎ W: Oh, I’ll go to the park to meet a good friend of mine and chat with her in the afternoon. But it won’t take long.‎ M: Well, there will be a dance party in the students’ club tomorrow afternoon. Would ‎ you like to join it?‎ W: I’d love to. Probably with my friend.‎ M: That would be very nice. The party starts at about 5 o’clock. I’ll take you and your friend there.‎ W: Good. When and where shall we meet?‎ M: How about one hour before the party? I’ll wait for you at the gate of the school hall.‎ W: OK. See you then.‎ Text 9 ‎ W: Where are you going to spend your summer vacation, Brian?‎ M: I’m going to my grandma’s home. It’s in a small town. I visit there every summer and winter vacation. ‎ W: How long do you usually stay there each time?‎ M: For about a month.‎ W: You must have some friends there, do you?‎ M: Yes, a lot. I’m going to visit them this time.‎ W: What about the life there?‎ M: It’s great. There are no traffic noises there. People often ride bicycles to work, so there is no pollution at all. ‎ W: What a good place! It seems in big cities few people go to work by bike.‎ M: Yes, it’s not that people feel too tired to do it, but they think it is not safe to ride a bike as cars on the roads are increasing.‎ W: I don’t think it’s too hard to solve the problem. Perhaps the best way is to create paths only for bikes.‎ M: Yes. I agree with you.‎ Text 10 ‎ W: Good morning, everyone. Here is a piece of news. According to a new rule announced by French President Emmanuel Macron, from the start of the school year in 2019, children in France will start school at the age of three instead of six. ‎ ‎ The change will give France one of the lowest required school starting ages in ‎ Europe‎. But it will only affect a small number of children, as the majority of French families have already chosen to send their children to school at three. Only 2.4% of the children are not sent to schools at that age, government figures show. Mr Macron said the change meant to reduce inequality in education, as parents in poorer areas of France and in overseas French lands are less likely to send their children to school at an early age. ‎ ‎ There is much debate about when children should begin formal education. A study said that children who started school later were less likely to be careless or overactive in class. Finland, Poland and Estonia — three of Europe’s most successful countries in education — have a school starting age of seven. But before that age, children there have usually been in a nursery, where they have been learning through playing games. At present, we are not sure if Macron’s decisions will bring some benefits.‎