2017-2018学年山东省武城县第二中学高二下学期期中考试英语试题 Word版

2017-2018学年山东省武城县第二中学高二下学期期中考试英语试题 Word版

‎2017-2018学年山东省武城县第二中学高二下学期期中考试英语试题 第一部分 听力（每小题1.5分，满分30分）‎ 第一节 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. When will the speakers probably meet next week? ‎ A. On Monday. B. On Tuesday. C. On Friday.‎ ‎2. What will the man do next? ‎ A. Open a website.‎ B. Give the woman a new card.‎ C. Take a photo of the woman.‎ ‎3. Who visited Fragrant Hills last weekend? ‎ A. Evan’s uncle. B. Evan’s mother. C. Annie’s brother.‎ ‎4. What’s the relationship between the speakers? ‎ A. Husband and wife. B. Salesman and customer. C. Aircrew and passenger.‎ ‎5. Why does the woman order bread? ‎ A. She is very hungry.‎ B. It’ll keep her kid quiet.‎ C. It’s on the dinner menu.‎ 第二节 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. What’s the woman’s good news? ‎ A. She got a job offer.‎ B. She’ll move to a new house.‎ C. She got accepted by a university.‎ ‎7. What do we know about the speakers? ‎ A. They live in the same city. B. They used to work together.‎ C. They’ve never met in person before. ‎ 听第7段材料，回答第8、9题 ‎8. Why is the girl so busy? ‎ A. She has too many classes.‎ B. She’s doing a lot of writing.‎ C. She’s working on a big project.‎ ‎9. What is implied about the boy? ‎ A. His major is engineering.‎ B. He is still in high school.‎ C. He wants to transfer to the girl’s school.‎ 听第8段材料，回答第10至12题 ‎10. What bad news does Sandra hear from her father? ‎ A. He just got fired.‎ B. He lost his cell phone.‎ C. He failed a job interview.‎ ‎11. Which major is Sandra more interested in? ‎ A. Finance. B. Business. C. Medicine.‎ ‎12. What will Sandra probably do next? ‎ A. Go out of town.‎ B. Study for her classes.‎ C. Tell her mother the news.‎ 听第9段材料，回答第13至16题 ‎13. What kind of artwork is in the living room now? ‎ A. A photograph. B. An oil painting. C. A watercolor painting.‎ ‎14. How long will Jared’s grandparents stay at his house? ‎ A. For one week. B. For twelve days. C. For about half a month.‎ ‎15. What will be hanging in the living room next month? ‎ A. A painting of a bird.‎ B. A picture of a forest.‎ C. A picture of an ocean scene.‎ ‎16. What do Jared’s parents think of the picture from Jared’s grandmother? ‎ A. They don’t like it at all.‎ B. They value it very much.‎ C. They think it’s a good color.‎ ‎‎ 听第10段材料，回答第17至20题 ‎17. What does the speaker suggest visitors in Spain do? ‎ A. Meet new people. B. Read Spanish books only.‎ C. Spend a lot of time on campus.‎ ‎18. How can visitors make more friends, according to the speaker? ‎ A. By starting a club. B. By working on a farm. C. By joining a book group.‎ ‎19. What does “take the easy way out” probably refer to? ‎ A. Not making much effort. B. Not getting any exercise.‎ C. Doing something easily. ‎ ‎20. According to the speaker, how can visitors learn Spanish quickly? ‎ A. By moving to a village. B. By doing a language exchange.‎ C. By being around native speakers.‎ 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A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。‎ A A Spanish company Siesta &Go has opened the first public napping (小睡) space in Madrid. It promises people a quiet rest in the middle of the city’s business center.‎ Napping spaces are nothing new; places to rest are already set up in other big cities in the world. But the idea would appear to work well with the culture of Spain, where people traditionally take an afternoon nap, called siesta.‎ The Madrid nap space recently opened with 19 beds. People can use them by the minute or by the hour, and they can also choose either a private or shared room. An hour of napping inside a private room costs about $ l5.‎ Siesta &GO provides all bedding, clean nightshirts and other materials. Nippers can request to be woken up when their time is up. It also offers areas to work, with armchairs, newspapers and coffee for those not wishing to sleep.‎ Philip Marco is one happy customer. Marco says he gets tired during the day because of hard work. He says a siesta is the perfect way to build up energy. “I come for about 30 minutes or something like that. That is usually enough for me to be full of energy.”‎ While many Spanish people love their naps, others like Carlos Villarroja say they are just too busy to keep the tradition. “It’s a Spanish tradition, but I think it’s more of a legend (传说) than a tradition. Because of the lifestyle and the working hours, we have very little free time for a siesta at least during the week.”‎ But many health experts believe there is evidence that taking a short nap can be very good for the body and mind. Scientific studies show that taking a siesta can also prevent illness and lower blood pressure.‎ ‎21. What is not allowed for customers to do?‎ A. Sleep for free B. Choose a private room C. Use it as an office D. Share a room with others ‎22. What does Philip Marco think of the Madrid nap space?‎ A. Costly B. Helpful C. Comfortable D. Convenient ‎23. What’s Carlos Villarroja’s opinion on siestas? ‎ A. It is not necessary to take a nap. ‎ B. They can treat high blood pleasure. ‎ C. People have no time to take a nap.‎ D. It’s not true that Spanish people like naps.‎ B When I was in fourth grade, I worked part-time as a paperboy. Mrs.Stanley was one of my customers. She’d watch me coming down her street, and by the time I’d hiked up to her doorstep, there’d be a cold drink waiting, I’d sit and drink while she talked.‎ Mrs.Stanley talked mostly about her dead husband, “Mr.Stanley and I went shopping this morning.” she’d say. The first time she said that, soda (汽水) went up my nose.‎ I told my father how Mrs. Stanley talked as if Mr. Stanley were still alive. Dad said she was probably lonely, and that I ought to sit and listen and nod my head and smile, and maybe she’d work it out of her system. So that’s what I did, and it turned out Dad was right. After a while she seemed content to leave her husband over at the cemetery(墓地).‎ I finally quit delivering newspapers and didn’t see Mrs. Stanley for several years. Then we crossed paths at a church fund-raiser (募捐活动).She was spooning mashed potatoes and looking happy. Four years before, she’d had to offer her paperboy a drink to have someone to talk with. Now ‎ she had friends. Her husband was gone, but life went on.‎ I live in the city now, and my paperboy is a lady named Edna with three kids. She asks me how I’m doing. When I don’t say “Fine”, she sticks around to hear my problems. She’s lived in the city most of her life, but she knows about community. Community isn’t so much a place as it is a state of mind. You find it whenever people ask how you’re doing because they care, and not because they’re getting paid to do so. Sometimes it’s good to just smile, nod your head and listen.‎ ‎24. Why did soda go up the author’s nose one time?‎ A. He was talking fast. B. He was absent-minded.‎ C. He was in a hurry. D. He was shocked.‎ ‎25. Why did the author sit and listen to Mrs. Stanley according to Paragraph 3?‎ A. He wanted to be helpful. B. He enjoyed the drink. ‎ C. He took the chance to rest. D. He tried to please his dad.‎ ‎26. Which of the following can replace the underlined phrase "work it out of her system"?‎ A. turn to her old friends B. move out of the neighborhood C. recover from her sadness ‎ D. speak out about her past ‎27. What does the author think people in a community should do?‎ A. Open up to others. B. Depend on each other.‎ C. Pay for other’s help D. Care about one another.‎ C ‎ Researchers have created a backpack that has a computer and medicines in it that can help even untrained soldiers save the lives of wounded troops. Wounded soldiers have a better chance of survival if they get help soon after being hurt and are quickly taken to a hospital or clinic. But soldiers who do not have medical training may not know how to help their injured friends.‎ Doctors and engineers have developed what they call an “intelligent backpack”. It has a computer and electronic measuring devices. The backpack also has robotic instruments and medicines ready to give to injured troops.‎ About 16 doctors and engineers from the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie‎ Mellon ‎University and several other places are working on the project. The U. S. Department of Defense has given ‎ money to the project.‎ Ron Poropatich leads the project. He is a retired army surgeon. He says the backpack will help soldiers care for those who are injured. The devices included in the backpack can monitor a person’s heart rate and blood pressure. The robotic instruments can even tell whether the soldier has a collapsed lung.‎ The intelligent backpack's computer can compare information gathered about the injured soldier with thousands of similar cases, and quickly tell the best methods to use to save the soldier’s life.‎ Sometimes, it is not always possible to quickly remove the injured soldier from the battlefield. So, Dr. Poropatich says, the researchers hope to create a backpack that will have devices that can keep a soldier alive for a long time. Dr. Poropatich hopes the backpack and its instruments will be ready for testing animals in about three years.‎ ‎28. What can we learn from the first paragraph?‎ A. Soldiers should have taken medical training.‎ B. Most of the soldiers can’t use the backpack correctly.‎ C. The backpack can play a big part in the battlefield.‎ D. War or battle has brought harm to the world.‎ ‎29. How many kinds of items are mentioned in the backpack?‎ A. 2.    B. 3. C. 4.    D. 5.‎ ‎30. What can we know according to Ron Poropatich?‎ A. The project got support from the whole world.‎ B. The robotic instruments can monitor lungs.‎ C. The injurer's heart disease can be cured.‎ D. The devices can adjust soldiers’ blood pressure.‎ ‎31. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?‎ A. Researchers and Their Wonderful Discovery B. Medical Care Tested on the Wounded Soldiers C. Robotic Devices Used in the Battlefield ‎ D. Emergency Medical Care in a Backpack D ‎ Londoners are great readers. They buy vast numbers of newspapers and magazines and of ‎ books— especially paperbacks, which are still comparatively cheap in spite of ever-increasing rises in the costs of printing. They still continue to buy “proper” books, too, printed on good paper and bound（装订）between hard covers. There are many streets in London containing shops which specialize in book-selling. Perhaps the best known of these is Charring Cross Road in the very heart of London. Here bookshops of all sorts and sizes are to be found, from the celebrated one which boasts(自夸) of being “the biggest bookshop in the world” to the tiny, dusty little places which seem to have been left over from Dickens’ time. Some of these shops stock, or will obtain, any kind of book, but many of them specialize in second-hand books, in art books, in foreign books, in books on philosophy, politics or any other of the countless subjects about which books may be written. One shop in this area specializes only in books about ballet! Although it may be the most convenient place for Londoners to buy books, Charring Cross Road is not the cheapest. For the really cheap second-hand books, the collector must venture off the beaten track, to Farringdon Road, for example, in the East Central district of London. Here there is nothing so impressive as bookshops. The booksellers come along each morning and pour out their sacks of books onto small hand-carts. And the collectors, some professionals and some amateurs, have been waiting for them. In places like this they can still, occasionally, pick up for a few pence an old one that may be worth many pounds. 32. “Londoners are great readers” means that _____. A. Londoners are great because they read a lot.        ‎ B. There are a great number of readers in London C. Londoners are readers who read only great books   ‎ D. Londoners read a lot 33. According to this passage, Charring Cross Road ______. A. is in the suburbs of London           ‎ B. contains various kinds of shops   ‎ C. is famous for its bookshops     ‎ D. is the busiest street in London 34. In this passage, what does the underlined part “venture off the beaten track” mean? ______. A. move away from a busy ‎ street B. buy books in a most busy street  ‎ C. waste time looking for books          ‎ D. take a risk of losing one’s life 35. On Farringdon Road, ______. A. you can find fine bookshops for the latest books                  B. you can see book sellers selling books on hand-carts C. there are only small bookshops for the second-hand books D. the same books as the ones in the bookshops of Charring Cross Road are sold 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。‎ Long, long ago people couldn’t write and they had no books. But they had stories. People learned the stories by heart and taught new ones to one another. Sometimes it was hard to remember them all. 36._______‎ The ancient Egyptians wrote their stories on something made from papyrus (纸沙草) plants. People in other places wanted to learn from the Egyptians to use papyrus.37._______ So, parchment (羊皮纸), made from goatskin, later took its place.‎ In ancient China books looked a little different. People there used ink to write on bamboo or silk. And then they invented paper. Made of trees, paper was easier and cheaper to make than papyrus or parchment.38.________ Papermaking later spread to the West, but there was a big problem with these early books. Every single one had to be copied and written by hand.‎ ‎39.________They carved (雕刻) a page of words into a piece of wood or stone. They could then print the page by spreading ink on the wood or stone and putting it against paper. But it wasn’t until a German printer invented movable, metal letters that books became fast and easy to make. The letters could be used to print copy after copy, and the letters put together again and again to print different pages of words.‎ ‎40._______ Once a luxury (奢侈品) only the rich could buy, they soon became a treasure everyone could enjoy.‎ A. It took years to finish making just one book.‎ B. But papyrus grew mainly in Egypt.‎ C. Things grew a little easier when writing was invented.‎ D. Finally books could be printed by the thousands.‎ E. The Chinese were the first to think of a way to speed things up a little.‎ F. Books in the West didn’t change for a long time after that.‎ G. Its surface was smoother and better for writing on too.‎ 第三部分 英语知识运用 （满分 30分） ‎ 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。 ‎ As we all know, the most valuable possessions are honesty and love. There was a story telling us about an old man. The old man wanted to retire 41.______his poor health. The challenge was in deciding which son 42.______take his place. As his children gathered to celebrate his birthday, the father announced his 43.______. The old man took out two boxes and said to his two sons. “Each of you takes one. I want each of you to 44.______it with what you believe to be the most 45.______thing for our successful business. 46.______your choices, I will decide who will take 47._______the business,” father said. The next days the families and employees could sense the spirit of 48.______between the boys.‎ It was January 1st and the family 49.______to celebrate again. “Please 50.______with me what’s in your box!” father said. The first son said, “It’s outside on the back of truck. The box you gave me was much too 51.______.” Father walked to the window and from that distance could see all. With a deep tone of 52._______, he asked the other son， “What do you have to give?” The son 53._______ his father the box. The old man looked inside and with great 54.______looked up at his son. “It’s 55._______!” father said. “Are you telling me that you have found nothing of value in our business?”‎ ‎“On the contrary,” he said. “I could not place 56._______I found most valuable in a box. How does one measure the value of quality and honesty? What size box would 57._______the loyalty（忠诚） of our employees and customers? How big of a room would I need for our workers who have 58._______from our generous pay and health plan? Finally, father, the most valuable possessions I 59.______hold are the love of you and mother.”‎ ‎60._______was obvious what decision was made that day. There will come a time when each of us will be asked by our father to share what we value most. I hope your box is empty.‎ ‎41. A. place of B. thanks for C. in spite of D. due to ‎ ‎42. A. need B. should C. must D. would ‎43. A. experience B. money C. retirement D. knowledge ‎44. A. cover B. fill C. combine D. provide ‎45. A. valuable B. beautiful C. comfortable D. adjustable ‎46. A. Based on B. Stood for C. Protected from D. Dressed up ‎47. A. up B. down C. over D. off ‎48.A. teamwork B. achievement C. competition D. communication ‎49. A. forced B. gathered C. refused D. adjusted ‎50. A. share B. publish C. send D. write ‎51. A. small B. big C. light D. large ‎52. A. happiness B. loneliness C. illness D. sadness ‎ ‎53. A. posted B. packed C. handed D. wrapped ‎54. A. delight B. shock C. mystery D. devotion ‎ ‎55. A. terrible B. wonderful C. empty D. ugly ‎56. A. where B. when C. how D. what ‎ ‎57. A. sense B. hold C. measure D. compare ‎58. A. heard B. suffered C. learned D. benefited ‎59. A. severely B. luckily C. sadly D. slightly ‎ ‎60. A. They B. It C. You D. We 第II卷（满分50分）‎ 第一节　语法填空（共10小题，每小题1.5分，满分15分）‎ 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。‎ The art of paper-cutting in China may date back to the second century, since paper 61 ‎ ‎(invent) by Cai Lun in the Eastern Han Dynasty in China. As paper became more affordable, paper-cutting became one of the most important 62 (type) of Chinese folk art. Later, 63 different regions adopting their own cultural styles, this art form spread to other parts of the world. 64 (usual), the artworks are made of red paper, as red is associated with 65 (happy) in Chinese culture, but other colors are also used.‎ With 66 (it) long history, paper-cutting, 67 originated in China, has been very ‎ popular among the ordinary Chinese people. People put up papercuts on walls, windows and doors at wedding ceremonies or festivals 68 (strengthen) the cheerful atmosphere.‎ Chinese papercuts are rich in content. The auspicious (吉祥的)designs symbolize good luck and the avoidance of evil. The child, lotus (莲花) and bat designs suggest a family with 69 large number of children and grandchildren. Birds, livestock, fruit, fish and worms are also familiar objects 70 (accept) by Chinese farmers. In a word, papercuts used in different occasions have different meanings,‎ 第二节 短文改错（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。‎ 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。‎ Last summer vacation, I went back to my hometown to visit my grandparent. They had several cows in their yard. One day, one of them were ill, but it didn't want take any medicine. An animal doctor came and gave it an injection. After a while, and it seemed to be better, so I decided to feed it anything. I fed it carrots, which were cutting into small pieces. I also fed it milk powder with pills in them, just as a doctor told me. Although looking after an ill cow was a tired job, I felt a sense of achievement as it begins to recover.‎ 第三节 书面表达（满分25分）‎ 假定你是李华，你的外教Mr. Pick回国前向你推荐了 American School Life网站，希望你借此提高英语水平。请你用英语给他写一封电子邮件，告诉他你的收获，要点如下：‎ ‎1. 表达思念；2. 上网收获；3. 表示感激。‎ 注意：1. 词数100词左右；‎ ‎2. 可适当发挥，以使行文连贯；‎ ‎3. 开头和结尾己为你写好，不计入总词数。‎ Dear Mr. Pick,‎ ‎ ‎ Yours,‎ Li Hua ‎ ‎ 高二下学期期中考试英语参考答案 ‎1-5 ACABB 6-10 ACCBA 11-15 CBBCB 16-20 AACAC ‎21-23ABC 24-27DACD 28-31CCBD 32-35DCAB ‎ ‎36-40CBGED ‎ ‎41-45DDCBA 46-50ACCBA 51-55ADCBC 56-60DBDBB ‎61. was invented 62. types 63. with 64. Usually 65. happiness 66. its ‎ ‎67. which 68. to strengthen 69.a 70.accepted 短文改错 Last summer vacation, I went back to my hometown to visit my ‎ ‎ grandparent. They had several cows in their yard. One day, one of ‎ grandparents them were ill, but it didn't want∧take any medicine. An animal doctor ‎ was to came and gave it an injection. After a while, and it seemed to be ‎ ‎ better, so I decided to feed it anything. I fed it carrots, which were ‎ ‎ something cutting into small pieces. I also fed it milk powder with pills in them, ‎ cut it just as a doctor told me. Although looking after an ill cow was a ‎ ‎ the tired job, I felt a sense of achievement as it begins to recover.‎ tiring began 书面表达 Dear Mr. Pick,‎ It’s a long time since you left our school. I miss you very much. Is everything going well?‎ The website you’ve recommended to me is very beneficial to my English study. It has abundant reading materials that I need most, greatly broadening my horizons. Now I have become more interested in English. Besides, I’ve made many new friends and we communicate a lot about school life, lectures, science, and so on. Now I can express myself much better than ever.‎ Thanks to your kindness and consideration, I’v made rapid progress in English study. I owe all my achievements to you.‎ I’m looking forward to more advice from you!‎ Yours,‎ Li Hua 录音原文 Text 1‎ M: Before we leave, let’s set up our next meeting. Let’s see…when am I free next week? Does Tuesday night work for everyone?‎ W: No, I’ve got a dinner with another client then. How about Friday night?‎ M: I’m going out of town then. Maybe we should meet the following Monday.‎ Text 2‎ M: OK, Lucy. We’re ready to give you your new library card. Do you have a photo with you?‎ W: I’m sorry. The website didn’t say anything about a photo.‎ M: No problem. If you have five dollars, we can take one for you now.‎ W: All right.‎ Text 3‎ M: Are you going on the class trip this weekend, Annie?‎ W: That depends, Evan. Where are we going?‎ M: I think we’re going to Fragrant Hills. My mom said her brother went there last weekend and said it’s beautiful at this time of year.‎ Text 4‎ M: May I help you? It looks like you’ re in the market for some luggage.‎ W: Yes, I am. I am flying to Australia tomorrow, and I need a really large suitcase.‎ M: I’d suggest this one, then. It’s lightweight, and the wheels are perfect for the airport.‎ Text 5‎ W: I’d like a table for three. And we’d like to see the lunch menu, please.‎ M: Sure. Here you are. Can I start you off with some drinks?‎ W: Just water, please. Oh, and we’ll need some bread for our kid. He’s hungry, and he’ll be better behaved if he has something to eat right away.‎ Text 6‎ M: Goodness! It must be late there. ‎ W: It’s about midnight. I wanted to catch you before you went to work. I have some good news. I have a job offer in your city. ‎ M: Really? You’re moving here?‎ W: Well, I haven’t accepted the job yet. I am going to visit and look at the campus before deciding.‎ M: We should meet while you’re here. After all this time chatting, I never thought we’d meet face to face.‎ W: I know! Me neither.‎ M: Well, you’re my favorite tutor, and I’d be proud to show you my city.‎ Text 7‎ M: How is your schoolwork coming along these days, Betty?‎ W: Pretty good. But I’m terribly busy. I have to do a final project before graduation.‎ M: How many classes do you have every week?‎ W: Only five, but it’s so different from high school, Jim. ‎ M: Which subjects are you taking?‎ W: Well, when I first started, I had general classes, like history and writing. Now that I’m a senior, almost all of my classes are related to engineering. I’m interested in clean fuel technology, and I want to design a machine that can produce clean energy.‎ M: That sounds useful. I hope I can do something interesting like that when I get to college.‎ W: I’m sure you will. ‎ Text 8‎ M: Hi, Sandra. What’s up?‎ W: Not much. How have you been?‎ M: Well, you might have noticed that I didn’t send you that cell phone you wanted. I’m afraid I’ve lost my job. But don’t worry. I have a job interview tomorrow.‎ W: Does mom know?‎ M: No. She’s out of town this week. I don’t want to bother her until she gets back.‎ W: Maybe you’ll get a job before then.‎ M: I hope so!‎ W: Dad, I think I’m ready to choose my major. I hate to tell you this… I know business is a useful field, and finance is especially useful, but I’m more interested in medicine.‎ M: If that’s what you want to do, I think you should.‎ W: Thanks. Well, we’d better hang up now. I have a lot of studying to do, and you should get ready for your interview!‎ Text 9‎ W: That’s an interesting oil painting hanging over the sofa, Jared. I never noticed it before.‎ M: Oh, that was a gift from my grandmother. She got it for my family when I was born.‎ W: Uh, OK. Why haven’t I seen it before? ‎ M: Well, my mother hates it. She doesn’t like birds, and a bright red one just doesn’t seem right in our living room.‎ W: So, why is it there now?‎ M: We hung it up a week ago. Grandma is coming to visit, so we got it out. ‎ W: Where is the beautiful watercolor of the ocean scene that used to be there?‎ M: We sold it. Every time my grandparents come over, we get to buy a new piece of art for the living room. It’s our reward for looking at the bird for two weeks.‎ W: Isn’t it dishonest to pretend you like the painting?‎ M: My parents didn’t tell Grandma that they don’t like the picture, and it’s too late now, isn’t it?‎ W: Twelve years? If you say so. So, what kind of art will you have the next time I come here?‎ M: A black-and-white photograph of a path in a forest.‎ Text 10‎ If you’re studying abroad in Spain, you’ll have the best experience if you spend time walking around the local area, enjoying the culture and meeting people. It’s easy to stay inside with your books, but you should go out and learn about the country you’re visiting. To make friends, you could join a gym, a church, or a book club. Another important thing to work on is your language. Most overseas students go to Spain either to start learning Spanish or to perfect it. Either way, you’ll want to put your new language knowledge to good use. You must make an active effort to do so. Otherwise, you might just take the easy way out and stay close to campus. One way to work on your language skills is to spend time with people who do not speak your language. This is a very fast way to learn new words. There is one more important thing that you should do to ensure that your time abroad is full of color and meaning: travel around the country by train. Get to know the small farming villages and people outside the city. An unforgettable experience in Spain is surely within your reach!‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎