2019-2020学年浙江省东阳中学高二上学期期中考试英语试题 Word版

2019-2020学年浙江省东阳中学高二上学期期中考试英语试题 Word版

东阳中学2019 年下学期期中考试卷 ‎（高二英语）‎ 命题： 审题： ‎ 本试卷分第Ⅰ卷（选择题）和第ⅠI 卷（非选择题）。考试结束后，将答题卷上交。‎ ‎ ‎ 注意事项:‎ ‎‎ 第Ⅰ卷 1. ‎ 本卷共 8 页，满分 150 分，考试时间 120 分钟；‎ 2. 答题前，在答题卷指定区域填写班级、姓名，并贴好条形码。‎ 3. ‎ 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)‎ 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纸上。‎ 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. Who is having a party?‎ A. Laura. B. Matt. C. Sophia.‎ 2. What will the class do next?‎ A. Work in groups.‎ B. Give presentations.‎ C. Turn in their homework.‎ 3. What is the weather like now?‎ A. Rainy. B. Hot. C. Windy.‎ 4. What is the possible relationship between the speakers?‎ A. Family members. B. Classmates. C. Co-workers.‎ 5. How many members are there in Tom’s group now?‎ A. 3. B. 5. C. 8.‎ 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 2 至 4 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 5 秒钟的时间阅读各个小题；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 is the woman trying to talk about?‎ A. Delicious food. B. Fancy phones. C. Social problems.‎ 7. How is the man’s attitude in the conversation?‎ A. ‎ Thoughtful. B. Uninterested. C. Considerate.‎ 听第 7 段材料，回答第 8 至 10 题。‎ 8. What are the speakers mainly talking about?‎ A. Cooking. B. Cleaning. C. Gardening.‎ 9. What does the man have to do tonight?‎ A. Take the weeds out. B. Water the trees. C. Cover some plants.‎ 10. Where are the woman’s plants?‎ A. In her backyard. B. In her kitchen. C. On her balcony.‎ 听第 8 段材料，回答第 11 至 13 题。‎ 1. Whose book was the man looking at?‎ A. The woman’s. B. The woman’s teacher’s. C. The woman’s sister’s.‎ 2. What are the mentioned French words related to?‎ A. Food. B. Insects. C. Places.‎ 3. What does the woman promise to do?‎ A. Take a Spanish course with the man.‎ B. Teach the man some words every day.‎ C. Exercise with the man after each class.‎ 听第 9 段材料，回答第 14 至 17 题。‎ 4. When did the competition first come to China?‎ A. In 2014. B. In 2016. C. In 2018.‎ 5. How does the man probably feel about horse racing?‎ A. He really dislikes it.‎ B. He is pretty excited about it.‎ C. He wants to learn more about it.‎ 6. Who will the woman go to the event with?‎ A. Her husband. B. Her sister. C. Her friend.‎ 7. What can we know about the speakers?‎ A. They are grandparents.‎ B. They both love fancy events.‎ C. They always buy gifts for each other.‎ 听第 10 段材料，回答第 18 至 20 题。‎ 8. What does the speaker do?‎ A. She is a TV producer. B. She is a politician. C. She is a scientist.‎ 9. Where did the speaker do the task?‎ A. On a boat. B. At a university. C. At a TV station.‎ 10. Why are the sharks returning?‎ A. There is more food to eat.‎ B. The water quality is better.‎ C. There are fewer people to hunt them.‎ 第二部分: 阅读理解(共两节，满分 35 分)‎ 第一节(共 10 小题；每小题 2.5 分，满分 25 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，并在答题卡上将 该项涂黑。‎ A ‎ Dear Mom,‎ I haven’t written before for quite a while because I have got no energy. I now get around my room and this floor of the hospital with a walking stick but I can go only a little bit at a time because I’m awfully weak yet. My right leg was taken out of the cast (石膏) several days ago and it’s still as stiff as a board and awfully sore from so much carving around the knee joint. But the surgeon says that eventually it will be all right. I’ve included a picture of me in bed. It looks like my left leg is a stump (残肢), but it really isn’t. Just bent so it looks that way...‎ This war makes us a bit less fools than we were. There isn’t going to be any such thing as “foreigners” for me after the war is won. I’ve gotten Italian pretty well. I’ve picked up quite a lot of Polish and my French is improving. You want to be prepared for a lot of visitors after the war ‎ now because I’ve a lot of pals coming to see me in Chicago. I don’t know when I’ll be back. I can’t get in the army and they won’t take me with two shaky legs in the draft (征兵) if I go home. So I might as well stay over here and avoid the awkwardness for a while.‎ Also Ma, I’m in love again. Now don’t start worrying about me getting married for I’m not. I’m not even going to get engaged. So don’t write any “God Bless U, My Children”: Not for about 10 years. You’re a dear old kid, and still my best girl. God bless you and write me often... I love you.‎ Ernie 1. By mentioning that his right leg would be all right, the writer intends to .‎ A. show the cruelty of the war B. put his mom’s mind at ease C. persuade his girlfriend to marry him D. get his mom’s permission to join the army 2. We can learn from the letter that .‎ A. Ernie is able to speak four foreign languages B. Ernie hardly made any friends before the war C. Ernie hopes to keep in touch with his mother D. Ernie is engaged but hasn’t had the plan for marriage 3. What emotion is mainly conveyed in the letter?‎ A. Love for Mom. B. Fear about pain.‎ C. Gratitude for doctors. D. Doubt about friendship.‎ B In today’s households where both parents go to work and kids have busy schedules with school, homework and many afternoon activities, finding time for a gathering at the table seems all but impossible. Yet, studies have shown time and again that eating together has multiple benefits for family members, especially children.‎ According to reports issued by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University(CASA), children who eat more with their family are at lower risk of developing poor eating habits, weight problems or alcohol dependencies. They tend to perform better academically than those who frequently eat alone. Family meals came into American life in the mid-20th century. In the 60’s and 70’s, social, economic and technological changes quickly ‎ dissolved the short-lived way of family meals. Restaurant visits, take-out and TV dinners have since become the norm (常态).‎ There are indications, however, that the old customs are coming back. According to the latest CASA reports, 59% of surveyed families said they ate dinner together at least five times a week, a significant increase from 47% in 1998. Whatever drives this trend, it is a development that should be welcomed.‎ Eating together as a family is not just about food and nutrition. It is about teaching them how ‎ to become members of their society and culture. Food has become so easily and cheaply available that we no longer appreciate its significance. We have to rediscover its importance and its value. Sharing a meal with loved ones should be considered a special event, which can almost take on the form of a ceremony, as it was practiced by our ancestors for whom finding food was a constant struggle.‎ Of course, there is no guarantee that the simple act of eating at home surrounded by family may make children more virtuous or socially more responsible. But it can lay the groundwork for a lot of things that point them in the right direction.‎ 4. What does the underlined sentence suggest?‎ A. Americans would attach importance to take-out.‎ B. Dining at home would enjoy great popularity.‎ C. The society was to develop at a rapid speed.‎ D. This practice of family meals started to change.‎ 2. What is the writer’s attitude towards eating together as a family?‎ A. Favorable. B. Disapproving. C. Reserved. D. Objective.‎ 3. From the passage we learn our ancestors possibly .‎ A. valued the education of children B. liked struggling with each other C. cared much about food nutrition D. appreciated the importance of food 4. Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?‎ A. Good Eating Habits Matter B. Family Dinners Benefit Kids C. Meals Take on New Meanings D. Old Customs Are Coming Back C With their pipes and lids to avoid spills, coffee cups have long been the substitute for adults. Now Starbucks is going all in on the concept by swearing to get rid of straws by 2020—and it’s all for a very good reason. This move is an answer to our own partners about what we can do to reduce the need for straws. Not using a straw is the best thing we can do for the environment.‎ In place of plastic straws, Starbucks plans to offer recyclable lids for all iced drinks and paper straws for coffee. The transition is already taking place in Starbucks’ hometown of Seattle, where a ban on plastic straws went into place on July 1. By rolling this out in all 28,000 of their stores by 2020, the company says they are annually removing more than one billion straws from going into circulation—and potentially the ocean.‎ Starbucks’ decision to gradually stop using single-use plastic straws is a shining example of the important role that companies can play in stopping the tide of ocean plastic. With eight million metric tons of plastic entering the ocean every year, we cannot afford to let industry sit on the sidelines(置身事外). Marine life has a 50% death rate when it swallows plastic—yet researchers believe there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by the year 2050 if this rate of litter continues. That means there can be an immediate positive impact if we swap plastic straws for environmentally friendly alternatives.‎ The smart design on the cup for cold drinks comes from Starbucks’ in-house team of designers and has been in development for two years. However, the announcement comes as outcry ( 倒 彩 ) increases over the dangers that plastic straws can cause to marine life. Other companies making the eco-friendly swap also announced plans last month to test alternatives to plastic straws.‎ 5. Why does Starbucks decide to get rid of plastic straws?‎ A. To reduce its cost. B. To meet the customers’ needs.‎ C. To create a greener planet. D. To expand its business worldwide.‎ 6. ‎ What does the word “transition” in paragraph 2 refer to?‎ A. Dilemma. B. Change. C. Response. D. Conflict.‎ 7. What’s the text mainly about?‎ A. Starbucks is throwing away plastic straws for a worthy cause.‎ B. Environmentally friendly material will replace plastic straws.‎ C. Scientists are making efforts to solve ocean plastic pollution.‎ D. A sales promotion of a new brand by Starbucks is being done.‎ 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。‎ We are all called upon to make a speech at some point in life, but most of us don’t do a very good job. 1 .‎ So, you have to give a speech—and you are terrified. You get nervous, you forget what you want to say, you stumble（结结巴巴） over words, you talk too long, and you bore your audience. Later you think, “Thank Goodness, it’s over. I’m just not good at public speaking. I hope I never have to do that again.”‎ Cheep up! 2 . Here are some simple steps to take the pain out of speech making. Ask yourself the purpose of your speech. What is the occasion? Why are you speaking? Then, gather as many facts as you can on your subject. Spend plenty of your time doing your research. Then spend plenty of your time organizing your material so that your speech is clear and easy to follow. Use as many examples as possible, and use pictures, charts, and graphs if they help you make your points more clearly. 3 . Don’t talk over their heads, and don’t talk down to them. Treat your audience with respect. They will appreciate your thoughtfulness.‎ Just remember: Be prepared. Know your subject, your audience, and the occasion. Be brief.‎ ‎4 . And be yourself. Let your personality come through so that you make person-to-person contact with your audience.‎ If you follow these simple steps, you will see that you don’t have to be afraid of public speaking. In fact, you may find the experience so enjoyable that you volunteer to make more speeches! You’re not convinced yet? 5 .‎ A. It doesn’t have to be that bad.‎ B. Take several deep breaths before your speech.‎ C. This article gives some advice on how to give a good speech.‎ D. Say what you have to say and then stop.‎ E. Don’t say what you aren’t familiar with.‎ F. Never forget your audience.‎ G. Give it a try and see what happens.‎ 第三部分: 语言运用(共两节，满分 45 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 A、B、C 和 D 四个选项中，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。‎ ‎“Smile!” I shouted, flashing a bright yellow poster at a crowd of people in Seattle.‎ We were 3,000 miles away from home on a Random Acts of Kindness and Volunteerism road trip. Our 36 was to try out our new “Smile!” signs and see how much kindness and joy we could 37 .‎ ‎ We weren’t sure how people would 38 our signs. It’s so easy to walk past a busy crowd, lost in your own world, 39 to make eye contact with strangers and feeling 40 while surrounded by hundreds of people. I 41 raised up a sign and shouted, “Hi there!” to a young couple. They looked over, 42 , then read my sign and broke into smiles. They even nudged (轻推) a person beside them, gesturing to our sign so their friend could 43 , too.‎ This might 44 , I thought.‎ Before long, our signs were wildly 45 . Tourists wanted photos with us. Strangers ‎ stopped to ask us about our 46 , and we told them the story of our Acts of Kindness road trip. The famous fish vendors ( 小 贩 ) changed their 47 from, “FISH! FRESH FISH!” to “HEY! SMILE, EVERYONE!”‎ Sometimes I’d see a(n) 48 face and feel nervous to show my sign, but I tried not to judge. I’d 49 be rewarded with a big grin ( 咧 嘴 笑 ), as suddenly a frowning elderly woman turned into my 50 old grandmother.‎ Some people 51 if they could have a “Smile!” sign to take with them. One bus driver put a sign in his window; a bicyclist that 52 one of our signs emailed us several years later to say he still uses it whenever he races.‎ The signs are more than a(n) 53 to smile – they’re an excuse to connect with 54 and to remember we’re not alone. This world is full of 55 people we just don’t know yet.‎ ‎36.‎ A. rule B. goal C. dream D. role ‎37.‎ A. keep B. spread C. exchange D. convey ‎38.‎ A. look for B. reach for C. care about D. react to ‎39.‎ A. refusing B. pretending C. wanting D. forgetting ‎40.‎ A. worried B. excited C. alone D. disappointed ‎41.‎ A. nervously B. sadly C. eagerly D. confidently ‎42.‎ A. delighted B. anxious C. annoyed D. confused ‎43.‎ A. stare B. understand C. smile D. leave ‎44.‎ A. work B. happen C. matter D. help ‎45.‎ A. used B. reported C. popular D. different ‎46.‎ A. photos B. trips C. gestures D. signs ‎47.‎ A. board B. chant C. claim D. conversation ‎48.‎ A. friendly B. cheerful C. angry D. ugly ‎49.‎ A. gradually B. usually C. possibly D. hardly ‎50.‎ A. serious B. humorous C. wise D. sweet ‎51.‎ A. asked B. doubted C. bothered D. knew ‎52.‎ A. followed B. took C. noticed D. recognized ‎53.‎ A. reason B. promise C. invitation D. attempt ‎54.‎ A. neighbors B. colleagues C. friends D. strangers ‎55.‎ A. good B. intelligent 第 II 卷 C. polite D. honest 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。‎ Hundreds of people attended the premiere (首映式) of the movie My People, My Country at a Los Angeles cinema on Sept 30. 56 (wave) Chinese flags in their hands, audiences sang My People, My Country together at the start of the film, its theme song 57 serves as a thread throughout the movie. The song is a patriotic ( 爱 国 的 ) Chinese classic, 58‎ ‎ (know) in every household. It was 59 (original) performed by the singer Li Guyi in 1985. It was reworked for the movie by the pop singer Faye Wong.‎ Featuring seven short stories from seven directors, led by Chen Kaige, the film makes use of the nation’s greatest technological and cultural 60 (achievement) starting with the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. Yet the film does not focus 61 the historical moments themselves, 62 rather shows events through the eyes of ordinary ‎ people who were devoted to or affected by them. The short story, The Guiding Star, for example,‎ ‎63 (follow) a pair of brothers who saw the landing of the capsule of the Shenzhou XI manned spacecraft on Nov 18, 2016 in Inner Mongolia and who were filled with pride and hope at that moment. “If a person meets a historical opportunity to be changed, the inspiring power is 64 (believe),” Chen told China.org.cn. “In my story, the landing of Shenzhou XI changed the lives of two teenagers, changed their fate and allowed 65 to gain new hope.”‎ 第四部分: 写作(共两节，满分 40 分) 第一节: 应用文写作(满分 15 分)‎ 为配合学校开展的垃圾分类工作，学生会向全校学生发出了“垃圾分类，从我做起”的 倡议，请你代表学生会，用英语写一封倡议书。内容包括：‎ 1. 垃圾分类的做法；‎ 2. 垃圾分类的益处；‎ 3. 呼吁全体学生一起参加。注意：1. 词数80左右；‎ ‎2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。‎ 参考词汇：垃圾分类garbage classification 厨余垃圾 leftovers 电池 batteries 第二节：读后续写（满分 25 分）‎ 阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。‎ For many years, I had a recurring (重复出现的) dream. I was a little girl again, rushing about, trying to get ready for school.‎ ‎“Hurry, you’ll be late for school,” my mother called to me. “I am hurrying, Mom! What did I do with my books?”‎ Deep inside I knew where the dream came from. It was about some unfinished business in my life. As a kid, I loved everything about school. I loved books, teachers, tests and homework. Most of all I longed to someday march down the aisle (通道) to receive my diploma. That seemed more appealing even than getting married.‎ But at 15, I had to drop out because my parents couldn’t afford tuition ( 学 费 ). My hope of ‎ getting a diploma was dead, or so I thought. Pretty soon, I married and had three children, and I thought: “There goes my diploma.”‎ Even so, I wanted my children to be educated. But Linda, our youngest child, had juvenile arthritis (幼年型关节炎) in her hands and knees, which made it impossible for her to function in a normal classroom. I felt really sorry for her and I didn’t want her to live her life with regret. I ‎ didn’t give up hope of her being back to school in some way.‎ One day, I saw an ad in the newspaper for evening courses. “That’s the answer,” I said to myself. Linda always feels better in the evening, so I’ll just sign her up for night school.‎ Linda was busy filling out enrollment (入学) forms when the secretary said: “Mrs. Schantz,‎ why don’t you come back to school?”‎ I laughed: “There’s no way! I’m 55!” But he persisted, and before I knew what I had done, I was enrolled for classes in English and crafts. “This is only an experiment,” I warned him, but he just smiled. So, I told myself to try for just a semester and to see if it would work. Anyway, my dream was still there in my heart.‎ 注意：‎ 1. 所续写短文的词数应为 150 左右；‎ 2. 应使用 5 个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词;‎ 3. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；‎ 4. 续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。‎ Paragraph 1:‎ It was exciting to go to school again but ‎ Paragraph 2:‎ Linda and I saw each other through the time. ‎ 东阳中学2019年下学期期中考试答案（高二英语）‎ 听力：‎ ‎1-5 CABCB 6-10 CBCCB 11-15 CABAA 16-20 BACAB 阅读：‎ ‎21-23 BCA 24-27 DADB 28-30 CBA ‎31-35 CAFDG 完形：‎ ‎36. BBDAC ADCAC DBCBD ABCDA 语法填空：‎ ‎56. Waving 57. that/which 58. known 59. originally 60. achievements ‎ ‎61. on 62. but 63. follows 64. unbelievable 65. them 应用文：‎ A possible version:‎ Dear fellow students,‎ ‎ Our school has started a program of garbage classification. Different kinds of garbage are required to be sorted out and placed in different dustbins. Paper can be recycled, while leftovers can be collected as food for pigs or processed as fertilizer for plants. Above all, such harmful things as plastics and used batteries should not be mixed with other wastes.‎ ‎ The program is of great benefit. We will be able to save resources by making use of recyclable garbage and harmful things will not pollute our environment after special treatment.‎ ‎ Let’s work together for a better campus!‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The Students’ Union 读后续写：‎ A possible version:‎ It was exciting to go to school again but it was no game. Sitting in a classroom full of kids was awkward, even if most of them were respectful and encouraging. During the day, I was still a busy married woman having loads of housework to do. In the evening, I was a hardworking student working on my courses. To my surprise, both Linda and I did very well in night school. I went back again the next semester, and my grades steadily improved. Linda and I saw each other through the time. When I was down, Linda encouraged me. “Mom, you can’t quit now!” And when she was down, I encouraged her. I have to say it was a time which was really hard on both of us. But neither of us gave up. At last, I got my diploma. To my surprise, almost all of my classmates voted for me to be class speaker, and I got a $3,000 college scholarship. The unfinished business in my dreams was eventually finished.‎ 录音原文：‎ Text 1‎ M: Laura, are you going to Sophia’s end-of-school party? ‎ W: Oh, no! I forgot all about it, Matt. She has one every June, doesn’t she? I missed the last one. ‎ M: It’s a lot of fun. You should really come!‎ Text 2‎ M: Ms. Anthony, this homework is really difficult. Can you give us some help with the answers?‎ W: No, but I’ll allow you to work in groups this time. Then one person from each group will present the answers to the class in the end.‎ Text 3‎ W: Sometimes I just wish I were a flower. Look at them getting watered over there…it looks so refreshing! And we’re here sweating in gym class while Mr. Filbert makes us run like the wind!‎ M: I’d rather be a dog, taking a nap in the shade and beating the heat!‎ Text 4‎ W: Where have you been? It is a long time since I saw you last month at the company’s dinner party. Have you been away on business?‎ M: No, I’ve been away on holiday. My uncle and aunt live in London. I visited them. ‎ Text 5 ‎ W: Tom, I heard you guys study by groups. How big is your study group?‎ M: Well, there were 8 of us to begin with. Then 3 students left. ‎ Text 6‎ W: Look around us. Almost everyone is sitting at their tables using their cell phones.‎ M: I never even noticed. ‎ W: That’s my point. You didn’t notice, because you’re so used to it. ‎ M: I’m hungry. What should we get to eat?‎ W: Look at this. We don’t even have to speak to the waitress to order our food. We just select what we want from this electronic tablet.‎ M: Cool! Let me see that.‎ W: I think all this fancy technology is turning us into robots. People don’t even communicate in person anymore. Something is wrong with this society.‎ M: Cool! You can play a game on this thing!‎ W: John?‎ M: Hold on…Yes! A new high score! Sorry, what were you saying?‎ W: Never mind. ‎ Text 7 ‎ M: It’s raining again. Time to fix up the backyard garden. I need to pull the weeds out. And tonight, the temperature will be close to freezing. I’ll have to cover the plants so they don’t die.‎ W: That’s a lot of work! My garden doesn’t need so much care.‎ M: I didn’t know you had one. Where is it?‎ W: In my kitchen. I put all my plants by the kitchen window. They get plenty of sunshine, and I remember to water them often. If they were out on the balcony, I would probably forget. ‎ M: What do you grow?‎ W: I have some herbs and two different kinds of hot pepper plants. I use these in my cooking. I also have some plants with flowers, just for decoration. ‎ M: Our gardens are very different. I have many vegetables and some small fruit trees. ‎ Text 8‎ M: What is this book here? I recognize some of the words, but I’ve never seen most of them before.‎ W: That’s not mine. It is my sister’s. She is taking a French class. ‎ M: I didn’t know the two languages were so similar.‎ W: Oh, yes. English borrows a lot of words from French, Spanish, and even German.‎ M: Really? Can you give me some examples?‎ W: Restaurant, menu, chef, salad…those are all French words. They are pronounced differently in French, though. ‎ M: I never knew that. What else?‎ W: Let me think…well, mosquito and cockroach are Spanish words, as are many city names in America.‎ M: So English is really just a mix of a bunch of other languages?‎ W: I guess you could say that. ‎ M: Language learning is such an interesting thing! Can you teach me some words after school every day?‎ W: Okay.‎ Text 9‎ M: Sandra, I bought you a gift for your birthday. ‎ W: Alan, you know we don’t buy gifts for each other anymore. That’s what our children and grandchildren are for — giving presents!‎ M: I know, I know… but I couldn’t pass this up. It’s a ticket to the horse races in Shanghai. ‎ W: What?‎ M: Yeah! I know you’ve been wanting to go, ever since the international event came to China in 2014. I was too late to buy tickets before they sold out in 2016. Now it’s 2018, and it’s time you got your wish!‎ W: This is such a nice surprise! Thank you, my dear! I never would have guessed you’d do something like this! You hate fancy events like this. ‎ M: Oh, I do. That’s why I’m not going. You wouldn’t have fun with me there, either. I would just be complaining the whole time. ‎ W: But I can’t go alone…‎ M: That’s why you’re going with your sister Anne. I bought a ticket for her, too. You ladies will have a great time.‎ W: A double surprise! I can’t wait to tell her! She loves watching the competitions on TV. What a wonderful gift from my thoughtful husband! ‎ Text 10‎ W: Fellow scientists, I finally have some good news to report. As you know, I have been studying sea life for three months in New York Harbor. Today, I can finally present some hard evidence that sharks have returned to these waters. For the past two weeks, I’ve been helping to film the Shark Week program for the Discovery Channel on TV. My job was to sit in a boat near a dead whale and check it for shark bites. It’s been a very hot July, so this wasn’t the easiest task. After five days, I noticed there were several large shark bites along the stomach of the whale. I was thrilled! Because this means our conservation efforts are starting to pay off. Sharks returning to a former hunting ground indicates that the waters are cleaner and healthier. We have been trying to clean up this area and the rivers that poured into the harbor for many years. I want to take this opportunity to thank the Friends of the Environment Society. You have all made your best effort so that future generations can live in a clean world. ‎