2018-2019学年福建省莆田第六中学高一下学期期中考试英语试题

2018-2019学年福建省莆田第六中学高一下学期期中考试英语试题

‎2018-2019学年福建省莆田第六中学高一下学期期中考试英语试题 本试卷分第Ⅰ卷(选择题)和第Ⅱ卷(非选择题)两部分。满分150分。考试时间120分钟。‎ ‎ 第Ⅰ卷 (选择题 共100分) ‎ 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 does the train leave for Chicago? ‎ ‎ A. At 9:10 a.m. B. At 9:20 a.m. C. At 9:40 a.m.‎ ‎2. What sport does the man like most? ‎ ‎ A. Jogging. B. Swimming. C. Basketball.‎ ‎3. What will the speakers have? ‎ ‎ A. A salad. B. Hamburgers. C. Meatballs.‎ ‎4. How many people will play cards? ‎ ‎ A. Six. B. Five. C. Four.‎ ‎5. Why will the woman buy the white car? ‎ ‎ A. Its appearance is cool.‎ ‎ B. It’s more comfortable.‎ ‎ C. It’s environmentally friendly.‎ 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. Whom did the woman buy the sweater for? ‎ ‎ A. A friend. B. A family member. C. Herself.‎ ‎7. What will the woman do next? ‎ ‎ A. Talk to the manager.‎ ‎ B. Show the receipt.‎ ‎ C. Leave the store.‎ 听第7段材料，回答第8、9题。‎ ‎8. What does the man want to do on Wednesday night? ‎ ‎ A. Watch a show. B. Clean the house. C. Finish his homework.‎ ‎9. Where will the woman be on Thursday night? ‎ ‎ A. At a restaurant. B. At her apartment. C. At the Global Theater.‎ 听第8段材料，回答第10至12题。‎ ‎10. Where will the vegetables be from? ‎ ‎ A. The grocery store.‎ ‎ B. The man’s backyard.‎ ‎ C. The woman’s vegetable garden.‎ ‎11. According to the man, who grow their own vegetables? ‎ ‎ A. Housewives. B. Old people. C. Young people.‎ ‎12. What day is the party? ‎ ‎ A. Thursday. B. Friday. C. Saturday.‎ 听第9段材料，回答第13至16题。‎ ‎13. Where is the little house? ‎ ‎ A. Near a fruit farm.‎ ‎ B. Three blocks from the ocean.‎ ‎ C. On the rainy side of the island.‎ ‎14. Why doesn’t the man choose the first place? ‎ ‎ A. There’s no TV.‎ ‎ B. It’s too cold there. ‎ ‎ C. There’s no air conditioner.‎ ‎15. What do we know about the second place? ‎ ‎ A. It doesn’t have a dryer. ‎ ‎ B. It provides toothbrushes. ‎ ‎ C. It has a big swimming pool.‎ ‎16. What will the woman do next? ‎ ‎ A. Pack for a trip.‎ ‎ B. Make a phone call.‎ ‎ C. Go grocery shopping.‎ 听第10段材料，回答第17至20题。‎ ‎17. Which floor did the fire destroy? ‎ ‎ A. The first floor. B. The second floor. C. The third floor.‎ ‎18. When was the building built? ‎ ‎ A. In 1718. B. In 1782. C. In 1930.‎ ‎19. What was the building used as at the time of the fire? ‎ ‎ A. A hotel.‎ ‎ B. A history museum.‎ ‎ C. An old people’s home.‎ ‎20. What probably caused the fire? ‎ ‎ A. The lightning. B. Old electric wires. C. A burning cigarette.‎ 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 Sharon, Aged 22‎ The most important thing to keep in mind when going into high school is to be yourself. Besides, I don’t know what your middle school was like, but high school teachers will not care about things such as how much homework you already have in one night. It’s best to just learn to deal with things and manage your time wisely so you can achieve everything you need to.‎ Frank, Aged 21‎ ‎ I think almost every kid feels both nervous and excited before their first day. You will probably love it. I know I did. You should join in some sports or activities that will make your high school experience more enjoyable. Good luck!‎ Eddie, Aged 20‎ When I started high school, I was really nervous too, especially since I had been homeschooled all through middle school and didn’t really know anyone. I suppose the best advice would be to just relax. The first couple of days can be a little bit hard, but things will become easier before you know it.‎ David, Aged 19 ‎ I’m not going to lie. The first day is kind of frightening. But you’ll get used to it. Don’t be afraid of anyone; upperclassmen will pick on you more if you let them know you’re afraid. Just take it easy. Making some friends and staying with them will greatly help you get used to high school quickly. After the first week it’s really not bad at all. Don’t worry.‎ ‎21. What can we infer from Sharon about high school?‎ ‎ A. Teachers are quite strict. ‎ ‎ B. Students often stay up at night.‎ ‎ C. Teachers provide little care for students. ‎ ‎ D. Students should make good use of their time.‎ ‎22. How did Eddie feel on his first day of high school?‎ ‎ A. Excited. B. Bored. C. Worried. D. Relaxed.‎ ‎23.Who mentions the importance of friends?‎ ‎ A. Sharon. B. Frank. C. Eddie. D. David. ‎ B ‎ When a dirty and untidy orange cat showed up in the prison yard, I was one of the first to go out there and pet it. I hadn’t touched a cat or a dog in over 20 years. I spent at least 20 minutes, knelt down behind the kitchen as the cat rolled around, relaxed. What he was expressing outwardly, I was feeling inwardly. It was an amazing bit of grace to feel him under my hand and note that I was reaching a ‎ life or another creature with something as simple as my care. ‎ ‎ Over the next few days, there were other prisoners responding to the cat. Every yard period, a group of prisoners gathered there. They stood around talking and taking turns petting the cat. These were guys you wouldn’t usually find talking to each other. Several times I saw an officer in the group, not chasing people away, but just watching and seeming to enjoy along with the prisoners. Bowls of milk and water appeared along with bread, wisely placed under the edge of the dustbin to keep the birds from getting it. ‎ ‎ The cat was obviously homeless and in pretty bad shape. People said that the cat came to the right place. He’s getting treated like a king. This was true, but as I watched I was also thinking about what the cat was doing for us. There was a lot of talk about what’s wrong with prisons in America. We need more programs. We need more psychologists or treatment of various kinds. Some may even talk about making prisons more kind. But I think what we really need is a chance to practise our own kindness. Not receive it, but give it. After more than two decades here, I know kindness is not a value that’s encouraged. It’s often seen as a weakness. Instead, the culture encourages keeping your head down, minding your own business, and never letting yourself be weak. ‎ ‎ The cat did my heart good to see the effect he had on me and the men here. By simply saying, “I need some help here”, he did something important for us. He needed us. And we needed to be needed. I believe we all do. ‎ ‎24. From the passage, we can learn that the author was __________. ‎ ‎ A. an animal protector B. the cat owner C. a prisoner D. a prison officer ‎25. Which of the following statements is true?‎ ‎ A. The cat was dirty because it was kept in prison. ‎ ‎ B. The officer in the prison enjoyed petting the cat. ‎ ‎ C. The prisoners prepared food for both the cat and birds. ‎ ‎ D. The author realized the importance of practising kindness. ‎ ‎26. We can infer from the third paragraph that __________. ‎ ‎ A. the American prison culture will be improved ‎ B. the author is not satisfied with the prison culture ‎ C. showing love to others can make prisoners strong ‎ D. caring for others is encouraged in American prisons ‎27. What is the best title for the passage?‎ ‎ A. Caring Makes Us Human B. Animals Need Care ‎ ‎ C. Everyone Needs to be Cared for D. Prison Culture is Important C ‎ Let us suppose it is now about A.D. 2060. Let’s make believe(假装) it is about sixty years from now. Of course, things have changed and life is very different.‎ ‎　　Voyages to the moon are being made every day. It is as easy to take a holiday on the moon today as it was for the people in 1960 to take a holiday in Europe. At a number of scenic spots on the moon, many hotels have been built. The hotels are air-conditioned, naturally. In order that everyone can enjoy the beautiful scenery on the moon, every room has at least one picture window. Everything imaginable is provided for entertainment(娱乐) of young and old.‎ ‎　　What are people eating now? People are still eating food. Many foods now come in pill form, and the food that goes into the pill continues to come mainly from green plants.‎ ‎　　Since there are several times as many people in the world today as there were a hundred years ago, most of our planet’s surface has to be filled. The deserts are irrigated with water and crops are no longer destroyed by pests. The harvest is always good.‎ ‎　　Farming, of course, is very highly developed. Very few people have to work on the farm. It is possible to run the farm by just pushing a few buttons now and then.‎ ‎　　People are now largely vegetarians(素食者). You see, as the number of people increases, the number of animals decreases. Therefore, the people have to be vegetarians and we are healthier both in our bodies and in our minds, and we know the causes and cure of disease and pain, and it is possible to get rid of diseases.‎ ‎ No one has to be ill any more.‎ ‎　　Such would be our life in 2060.‎ ‎28. When was the passage written?‎ ‎　 A. In about 1960. B. In about 2000. C. In about 2004. D. In about A.D. 2060.‎ ‎29. According to the passage, what will be on the moon in about A.D. 2060?‎ ‎　 A. Many other animals. B. Many tourists. C. Many plants. D. A sea.‎ ‎30. What will people eat then according to the passage?‎ ‎ A. Foods in pill form. B. Biscuits in pill form. C. Foods in water form. D. Foods in gas form.‎ ‎31. The passage tells us that in 2060, ___________ on the earth than now.‎ ‎　 A. there are fewer population B. there are more pests ‎　 C. the crops are getting better D. there is less water D To develop one’s taste in English, the most effective way is to read English books extensively. However, one may be at a loss to choose the suitable books, especially as a beginner. I would like to share some of my experience.‎ My first English novel was Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, recommended(推荐) by many English teachers and professors as an ideal book for English learners. But I had great difficulty in understanding the novel, let alone enjoying it. It’s not the vocabulary that troubled me, but rather the way Austen constructs sentences, and her way of thinking, which seemed too remote to me at that time. My fading enthusiasm was much recovered after reading Hemingway’s novel Farewell to Arms. I particularly liked his brief and lively style. So my first suggestion is, as a beginner, you’d better choose contemporary(现代的) novels instead of classical ones.‎ However, reading novels is not the only way to improve your English. English essays(散文) can at once inform you, entertain you, and improve your taste in English. The best example is Bertrand Russell’s work. Its language is simple, yet you cannot help feeling the elegance and the unique sense of humor. His plain language ‎ enables his philosophy(哲理) within the reach of ordinary people. Here comes my second suggestion — essays are indispensable.‎ ‎ Never follow other’s opinions blindly, however famous or influential the person might be. As a saying goes, one man’s meat is another man’s poison. With that in mind, we are sure to find out our favorite writers through reading and develop our fine taste in English.‎ ‎32. What made the author’s first English novel hard to understand?‎ ‎ A. Complex conversations. ‎ ‎ B. The old-fashioned vocabulary. ‎ ‎ C. Not knowing the social background.‎ ‎ D. Sentences and Austen’s thinking pattern.‎ ‎33. Which can best replace the underlined word“ indispensable”?‎ ‎ A. necessary B. challenging C. related D. brilliant ‎34. What advice does the author give in the last paragraph?‎ ‎ A. Compare books before buying.‎ ‎ B. Read books that are instructive.‎ ‎ C. Don’t be affected by other’s choices.‎ ‎ D. Choose books that challenging us most.‎ ‎35. What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?‎ ‎ A. Tell beginners how to choose English books.‎ ‎ B. Encourage people to read more English books.‎ ‎ C. Recommend first-class books to English learners.‎ ‎ D. Give comments(评论) on literature (文学) works.‎ 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，其中有两项为多余选项。 ‎ ‎ Getting your children to study can be a little like getting them to eat their vegetables.‎ ‎　 36 　 Make a study time and have it at the same time every day. This will ‎ help your kids to learn to schedule their day and will give them a sense of control over how they spend their time.‎ Allow them to study in blocks of time, such as for half an hour with a five-minute break in the middle. 　 37 　 Ideal(理想的) study times are after dinner or right after school before dinner.‎ Never allow your children to study in front of the television, for that will encourage passive activity. 　 38 　‎ You’ll also need to help your kids find the right place to study. After you’ve set up a good study time for little learners, set up a good place where they can get those creative juices flowing. 　 39　 Make sure there is a table or a desk and a comfortable chair at this place.‎ ‎　 40 　 This includes helping them out with their homework sometimes and being there for them with the answers to any questions. The input you give your children during study periods will help form a bond and help make studying enjoyable.‎ ‎ A. Pick a place where your children can study properly.‎ ‎ B. Hold them to the schedule they create for themselves.‎ ‎ C. Finally, spend time with your kids when they're studying. ‎ ‎ D. Try to stop this bad habit by offering some sort of reward.‎ ‎ E. Keep the atmosphere light and offer lots of encouragement. too.‎ ‎ F. Instead, use TV as a treat or a reward when the homework is completed.‎ ‎ G. One way to form good study habits for your kids is to design a schedule that they keep to.‎ 第三部分 英语知识运用（共两节，满分35分）‎ 第一节 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 sat down at my desk and started writing an emotional letter of gratitude. But 41 it came to actually placing the letter into the mailbox, I 42 .‎ ‎ The letter was to a teacher whose volunteer efforts had 43 my view on the ‎ world and I felt I should let her know how her 44 positively influenced my life.‎ ‎ I could have easily sent her an e-mail, 45 that seemed a bit 46 for such an important thank-you. That’s why I ended up 47 the letter. But now I hesitated. We had 48 merely by Facebook comments and occasional private messages. I 49 knew her. Maybe my letter was too heartfelt. “People don’t normally do this,” I thought to myself.‎ ‎ Thinking a while, I put the envelope in the mailbox 50 .‎ ‎ A couple of weeks later I received a Facebook response from her. It turned out she was 51 a difficult time and my note meant the 52 to her. She said she had no idea that she was making such a(n) 53 to others.‎ ‎ Not only did this letter make her happier, but her 54 increased my joy as well. I was so 55 that it made such a difference to her that I decided to write a gratitude letter to 56 each month.‎ ‎ I’ve been doing this for two years now and it’s 57 changed my life. I’m more likely to seek out the 58 in others and more thankful for the beautiful life I’m 59 . Cultivating (培养) 60 is a great skill to practice. Life is too short not to do it.‎ ‎41. A. when B. if C. after D. because ‎ ‎42. A. smiled B. burst C. froze D. refused ‎ ‎43. A. balanced B. changed C. weighed D. supported ‎44. A. example B. picture C. memory D. call ‎45. A. and B. in order C. in case D. but ‎46. A. normal B. hard C. wonderful D. lame ‎47. A. handwriting B. polishing C. posting D. folding ‎48. A. made sense of B. come into being C. kept in touch D. got on with ‎49. A. really B. still C. barely D. also ‎50. A. immediately B. eventually C. again D. away ‎51. A. having access to B. breaking through C. breaking away from D. going ‎ through ‎52. A. dream B .world C. tip D. warning ‎53. A. mess B. difference C. effect D. effort ‎54. A. exploration B. expectation C. reply D. greeting ‎55. A. curious B. confident C. hopeful D. excited ‎56. A. someone B. her C. anyone D. each other ‎57. A. greatly B. negatively C. slightly D. simply ‎58. A. nature B. goodness C. honesty D. ambition ‎59. A. desiring B. giving C. living D. wasting ‎60. A. writing B. protection C. direction D. appreciation 第Ⅱ卷 (选择题 共50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。‎ Driving to the airport in the early morning, I felt 61 (excite) because I would spend the summer in Paris. While looking for more interesting things 62 (do) besides sleeping and eating on the plane, I jumped at(急切地接收) the chance to study French in this city 63 (know) for its art, food and culture. ‎ My connecting flight(转机) was in Frankfurt, Germany, 14 hours from Denver. But when I arrived there, a feeling of 64 (anxious) began to set in. Being in a big, busy building in a country 65 I could not speak the language made me nervous, 66 when I found my way, I gained confidence. When I boarded the second plane and discovered that the flight was less than an hour, I was filled with excitement.‎ When I stepped on foreign ground for the first time, I was 67 (extreme) happy. I gathered my bags and joined the crowd of people 68 (wait) for friends and family. I quickly had my first experience trying to communicate 69 a language that I had only practiced in school. As I left 70 airport, with one sharp turn, the Eiffel Tower came into view. I was fully in Paris.‎ 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）‎ 假如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。‎ During the Spring Festival I go to my grandparents’ home. I hadn’t been there for one year, so I missed my grandparents very much. When I got to there, I saw my grandparents sitting on the sofa, wore smiles. I was very excited that I gave them hugs. After lunch, I had a walk around and found lots of change. Most of the villagers moved to big cities and made my fortune. In the village there was only some old people. They lived quiet life but felt lonely. Lucky, the water in the river was still clear, what made me feel better.‎ 第二节 完成句子 (每空0.5分，共25分)‎ ‎ 根据所给首字母或汉语提示，完成下列句子，使句子意思完整。‎ ‎ 注意：在答题卡上要写出完整的单词；填写本模块所学词汇、语法和句型。‎ ‎1. The letter wasn’t addressed to me but I opened it out of c .‎ ‎2. Few people s  for food would describe the feeling as enjoyable. ‎ ‎3. Participating in sports is of great b to people’s physical fitness.‎ ‎4. Microorganisms(微生物) m rapidly in dirty places and in warm temperatures.‎ ‎5. They said that China is fast moving from an a society to an industrial one, with ‎ ‎ more farmers leaving the land for the cities.‎ ‎6. The students were interested in the sailor’s tales of ____________(冒险).‎ ‎7. In the end, he figured up the balance in their checking ____________(账户) .‎ ‎8. Teaching kids with special needs requires ____________(耐心) and understanding.‎ ‎9. An increasing number of people are _____________(咨询) their accountants about the tax laws.‎ ‎10. Stephen Hawking, a great __________(物理学家), was most famous for his work on black holes.‎ ‎11. (门铃响了) 我想知道会是谁。不可能是Lisa, 她这会儿还在图书馆。‎ ‎(The doorbell rings.) I wonder _______ that is. It ______ be Lisa. She’s still in the library at this time.‎ ‎12. 我还没决定放假去哪，可能去福州吧。‎ ‎ I haven’t decided ________ I’m going for my holiday. I __________ go to Fuzhou.‎ ‎13. Tim来迟的原因是他的自行车掉链子了。‎ ‎ The reason _______ Tim arrived late was _______ his bicycle ________ had broken.‎ ‎14. 这本字典和珍贵，你一定要好好爱护，千万不能丢了。‎ ‎ This is a valuable dictionary. You ________ look after it carefully and you ______ lose it.‎ ‎15. 几天后你将发现，把这些不同的方法结合起来会怎样给你带来某种好处。 ‎ ‎ In a few days, you will see ______ _______ these various ways can give you some good result.‎ ‎16. 你的未来会是什么样的取决于你现在是否努力。‎ ‎__________ your future will be like depends on _________ you work hard or not now.‎ ‎17. 我正沿着街道漫步时忽然听到背后传来一声叹息。 ‎ ‎ I ________ ________ along the street ________ a ________ was heard from behind. ‎ ‎18. 那个商店老板试图通过打折来赢回顾客。‎ ‎ The shopkeeper is trying to ________ his ________ _________ with a ____________.‎ ‎19. 他创办了这一慈善事业以纪念他已故的妻子。‎ ‎ He founded the ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ his late wife.‎ ‎20. 别想着说谎隐瞒——对欺瞒者会严惩不贷。‎ ‎ Don’t _______ _______ ________ ─ you’ll never ________ ________ ________ it.‎ ‎21. 事实上，当他进入办公室时是偶然被保安发现的。‎ ‎ As a matter of fact, he ______ ______ _____ ______ by the guard as he entered the office.‎ ‎22. 那些可怜的孩子在暴力和无安全感的氛围中被抚养长大。‎ ‎ Those poor children ______ _______ ______ in an ________ of _________ and insecurity.‎ 莆田第六中学2018—2019学年下学期高一英语期中试卷参考答案 ‎ ‎ 第一部分：听力（共两节，满分30分）‎ ‎1----5 ABBAC 6----10 BAABC 11----15 BACAC 16----20 BCACC ‎ ‎ 第二部分 阅读理解（共两节，满分40分）‎ ‎21----23 DCD 24----27 CDBA 28---31 BBAC 32----35 DACA 36---40 GBFAC ‎ ‎ 第三部分 英语知识运用 （共两节，满分45分）‎ 完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）‎ ‎41----45 ACBAD 46----50 DACCB 51----55 DBBCD 56----60 AABCD ‎ ‎ 第二节 语法填空（共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分）‎ ‎61. excited 62. to do 63. known 64. anxiety 65. where ‎66. but 67. extremely 68. waiting 69. in 70. the ‎ ‎ 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）‎ ‎71. go改为went 72. 删除to 73. wore改为wearing 74. very改为so ‎ ‎75. change改为changes 76. my改为their 77. was 改为were 78. quiet前加a ‎ ‎79. Lucky改为Luckily 80. what改为which ‎ ‎ 第二节 完成句子(每空0.5分，共25分)‎ ‎1. curiosity 2. starving 3. benefit 4. multiply 5. agricultural ‎6. adventure(s) 7. account 8. patience 9. consulting 10. physicist ‎ ‎ ‎11. who, can’t ‎ ‎12. where, may / might ‎13. why, that, chain ‎14. must, mustn’t ‎15. how, combining ‎16. what, whether ‎17. was wandering, when, sigh ‎18. win, customers, back, discount ‎19. charity, in memory of ‎20. tell a lie, get away with ‎21. was spotted by accident ‎22. were brought up, atmosphere, violence ‎ ‎ 听力原文 Text 1‎ W: Sir, I’m in a rush to get to Chicago, but I can’t see the timetable clearly.‎ M: I’ll read it for you. The 9:10 a.m. train is going to Chicago, (1) the 9:40 a.m. train is going to Boston… Oh, madam, it’s 9:20 now!‎ Text 2 ‎ W: You look pretty fit. You must be a sports fan.‎ M: Well, I often spend time jogging with my son in the morning, and I sometimes play basketball with my friends. But my favorite sport is still swimming. (2)‎ Text 3‎ W: I was thinking of making a salad and meatballs, but we’re out of vegetables.‎ M: I could drop by the grocery store on my way home if you want.‎ W: Let’s just have hamburgers instead. (3) We’ve got everything we need for those.‎ Text 4‎ M: Do you want to come play cards with us on Friday night? We need one more player to make five.‎ W: Sure, I’ll play. I’m going to bring my friend as well. He loves playing ‎ cards. (4)‎ Text 5‎ M: Of the two cars we have seen today, which one do you prefer?‎ W: Well, the red one is more comfortable but costs much more, while the white one doesn’t use much gas. As a lover of nature, I am surely going to choose the latter. (5)‎ Text 6‎ W: Hello, I’d like to return this sweater. I have the receipt right here.‎ M: OK, let me take a look… Um…so you bought this over a month ago?‎ W: That’s right. It was a birthday present for my niece. (6)‎ M: I’m sorry, ma’am. But if it has been over a month, we can’t return your money.‎ W: Are you kidding me? I haven’t even opened the package, my friend!‎ M: Well, that is just our store rule. ‎ W: There must be something you can do. ‎ M: I’ll talk to my manager. (7)‎ W: I’d like to talk to him myself! (7)‎ Text 7‎ M: Hi, Monica!‎ W: Hi, Peter!‎ M: What are you doing on Wednesday night? There will be a great show at the Global Theater. Would you like to go with me? (8)‎ W: Wednesday night? Oh, sorry, I’m planning to finish my composition. ‎ M: Oh, well. Never mind. How about Thursday? (9) Why don’t we go out to dinner? Just you and me.‎ W: That sounds like a good idea, but I might have to help my roommate clean up the apartment. (9)‎ M: Well, that means you’re going to be busy on Thursday night, too?‎ W: I’m afraid so.‎ Text 8‎ M: What are you going to bring to the party tonight? (12) I was thinking about going to the grocery store to pick up some vegetables.‎ W: Oh, there’s no need to do that. I have a vegetable garden in my backyard. We can just pick some from there. (10)‎ M: I thought that was something only old people did. (11) What kinds of vegetables do you have?‎ W: I have carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce. ‎ M: Perfect. How long have you been growing your own vegetables?‎ W: For the last couple of years. More and more young people are doing it now. It’s not just a thing for housewives. ‎ M: Can you come over tomorrow and help me get started on a garden? (12)‎ W: I’m busy on Friday, (12) but I’ll come the day after that.‎ Text 9‎ W: OK, I think we have two choices of where we can spend our vacation. The first place is a little house. (13) It’s located on a fruit farm. But it says there’s no air conditioner.‎ M: That’s OK. It’s on the rainy side of the island. (13) It’s cooler there. ‎ W: You’re probably right. But there’s no washing machine or dryer…not even a TV!‎ M: Oh, no! No TV? That’s terrible! (14) What’s our second choice? (15) ‎ W: It’s on the opposite side of the island, a very nice place with a big swimming pool. (15) It’s only three blocks from the ocean. And the pool area also has a beautiful garden.‎ M: Wow, it does have everything: washing machine, dryer, TV, refrigerator... All we need is our toothbrushes. Let’s go with the second choice. I can’t wait to go!‎ W: OK. I’ll call them right now and book it. (16)‎ Text 10‎ Now, back to the news! An early morning fire damaged the historic Geller House today. It destroyed the third floor of the building, (17) but firefighters saved ‎ the first and second floors. There were only a few elderly people living in the building. (19) And they were carried out to safety, so no one was hurt. The Geller House was built in 1718 and was used as a hotel for over 150 years. (18) George Washington stayed here in 1782. The Geller family owned the building until the 1930s. Then they sold it to the Mills family. Five years ago, it was made into a building for the old. (19) All the electric wires in the building were checked and most of them were changed then. Several fire departments were called to the scene. When we asked Fire Chief Andrew Barnes how the fire started, he answered that a burning cigarette most likely caused it. (20)‎