2018-2019学年江西省赣州教育发展联盟高二上学期12月联考英语试题（Word版）

2018-2019学年江西省赣州教育发展联盟高二上学期12月联考英语试题（Word版）

学校: 班级: 姓名： 考号： ‎ ‎…………………………………密………………………………封…………………………线……………………………………‎ ‎2018-2019学年第一学期赣州教育发展联盟十二月联考 高二年级英语试卷 命题人：南康三中谭礼梅 审题人：南康三中刘慧 时间：120分钟 总分：150分 ‎ 第I卷 ‎ 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。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. How much should the man’s rent be?‎ A. $500. B. $150. C. $125.‎ ‎2. What is the man?‎ A. He is a sports fan. B. He is a referee. C. He is an excellent athlete.‎ ‎3. What has the man been doing?‎ A. Having an interview. B. Filling out a form. C. Asking for information.‎ ‎4. What do we know about the woman?‎ A. She is too busy to go swimming. ‎ B. She’s willing to go swimming.‎ C. She doesn’t want to wait long.‎ ‎5. What does the woman mean?‎ A. It’s terrible to go abroad alone. ‎ B. It doesn’t matter if the man is not good at English.‎ C. The man should improve his English.‎ 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. What is the woman going to be?‎ A. A teacher. B. A cook. C. A doctor.‎ ‎7. How long will the woman work every day?‎ A. 8 hours. B. 4 hours. C. 5 hours.‎ 听第7段材料，回答第8至10题。‎ ‎8. What are the speakers talking about?‎ A. An exam. B. An interview. C. A writing contest.‎ ‎9. How are they feeling at the moment?‎ A. Pretty happy. B. Very sad. C. A little confused.‎ ‎10. Which part did they both find difficult?‎ A. The first multiple-choice questions. B. The essay. C. The imitation writing.‎ 听第8段材料，回答第11至13题。‎ ‎11. What will Diana do this afternoon?‎ A.Go to class. B. Attend a lecture. C. Write an essay.‎ ‎12. What do we know about Dr. Rich?‎ A. He teaches English culture. B.He’s been absent three times. C. He’s very strict.‎ ‎13. What does Mike say about the business communication course?‎ A. There is not much course work to do. ‎ B. He has already handed in three essays.‎ C. He has a 3000-word term paper to write.‎ 听第9段材料，回答第14至16题。‎ ‎14. What are the speakers talking about?‎ A. How much money they spend on meals. ‎ B. The changes of the food service in the school.‎ C. The changes of food in the dining hall.‎ ‎15. What does the man think of the changes?‎ A. He will benefit from the changes. ‎ B. He doesn’t like them.‎ C. He can’t understand them as they are too complicated.‎ ‎16. What plan did Tom choose to buy?‎ A. A seven-meal plan. B. A ten-meal plan. C. A fourteen-meal plan.‎ 听第10段材料，回答第17至20题。‎ ‎17. Where do people believe the left hand is unclean?‎ A. In Malaysia. B. In Pakistan. C. In Indonesia.‎ ‎18. When might young Westerners be offended? ‎ A. When others try to help them without their agreement. ‎ B. When others touch their personal things by chance. ‎ C. When others ask them too many questions.‎ ‎19. Why don’t Italians give handkerchiefs as gifts?‎ A. Handkerchiefs mean saying goodbye. ‎ B. Handkerchiefs are used in funerals.‎ C. Handkerchiefs are connected with unhappy feelings.‎ ‎20. To whom might the talk be given?‎ A. Those who are studying in college. ‎ B. Guests from all over the world.‎ C. Those who will work for an international meeting.‎ 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 All Summer Camp Programs Llandovery, Wales Language and Music for Life (LMFL) — Founded in 1997, LMFL offers unique 2-week summer music and language courses. LMFL provides quality one-to-one training in a wide range of instruments & voice lessons for highly-motivated musicians of all ages. Study programs & classes include: Composition; Violin; Piano; Recorder; Guitar and Classical Singing... ‎ Cambridge, UK ‎ Reach Cambridge — Academic Camps (RC) — RC offers UK & international high school students the opportunity to gain an invaluable academic experience through a summer course. We provide unique and academic programs for students (ages 14-18). Study programs & classes include: Chemistry & Medicine, Computer Science & Math, and Economics & ESL...‎ Saint-Raphael, France France Langue and Culture (FLC) — Experience a fun, educational language holiday for all the family this summer! FLC is the most family-friendly language school providing French summer classes for teens and young children. Study programs & classes include: Children’s Summer Camps for ages 4-12, with home stay accommodation by French host families.‎ Quebec City, Canada Education-Inter Summer Language School (EI) — EI offers summer French programs for children and teenagers (ages 10-17) and adults (16+). Quebec City is the only major city in Canada that offers a 100% French-speaking environment, making it the ideal location for learning and practicing French. Study programs & classes include: 2 weeks’ Summer French Programs For Children & Teenagers (ages 10-17), French & Dance, and French & Horse Riding...‎ ‎21. If a boy is 6 and loves playing the piano, which summer camp suits him best?‎ A. LMFL. B. FLC. C. EI. D. RC.‎ ‎22. Why is Quebec the perfect place for French learners?‎ A. It offers summer French programs. B. It is the only major city in Canada.‎ C. It has a Summer French Language School. D. It is a place where people only speak French.‎ ‎23. It can be learned from the passage that ____________.‎ A. RC helps kids improve their horse-riding skill. B. kids can enjoy one-to-one training at EI.‎ C. kids can stay at French host families at FLC. D. LMFL was built in 1997 in France.‎ B ‎(CNN) — A 12 -year-old girl who had a feeling that she might be quite clever has taken a test and proved she was absolutely right.‎ Lydia Sebastian achieved the top score of 162 on Mensa’s Cattell III B paper, showing she has a higher IQ than well-known geniuses Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking. The comparison doesn't sit well with the British student, who’s currently in Year 8 at a selective girl’s grammar school in Essex, England.‎ ‎"I don't think I can be compared to such great intellectuals as Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking. They’ve achieved so much. I don’t think it’s right," Lydia told CNN.‎ To explain Lydia’s mark’s level, the top adult score in the Cattell III B test, which mainly tests verbal(语言) reasoning, is 161. A top 2% score 一 which allows entry to Mensa, the club for those with high IQs 一 would be 148 or over. Lydia scored 162, placing her in the top 1% of the population.‎ Lydia’s not quite sure what she wants to do when she leaves school, although she’s leaning toward something "based on Maths, because it’s one of my favorite subjects. " "All I’m going to do is work as hard as I can, and see where that gets me," she said.‎ 24. The reason why Lydia wanted to have an IQ test was that _______,‎ A. her parents strongly wanted her to do so. B. she felt that she might have a high EQ.‎ C. she felt that she might have a high IQ. D. the grammar school advised her to do so. ‎ ‎25. Which of the following can best take the place of the underlined words in the second ‎ paragraph?‎ A. be connected with. B. be accepted by. C. be satisfied with. D. be refused by.‎ ‎26. What is Lydia's plan about the future ?‎ A. She has the possibility of doing something on Maths in the future.‎ B. She doesn’t have to work hard with her high IQ.‎ C. She is quite sure about what to do in the future.‎ D. She will drop out of the grammar school.‎ ‎27. It can be implied from the passage that ______.‎ A. No one has achieved a higher IQ than Lydia. B. Lydia has a higher IQ than Albert Einstein.‎ C. Whoever has a high IQ can enter Mensa. D. Mary whose IQ score is 150 can enter Mensa.‎ C ‎ Imagine on your way out of class today you trip (绊倒) on a loose piece of carpet and twist your ankle. As a result of the injury, you lose your place in the local sports team, and have to miss an important job interview. Bad luck? Or an opportunity to get rich quick?‎ Perhaps it's not surprising that Roslyn Darch of Houston, Texas, USA felt annoyed when she tripped over a toddler (学步的儿童) running around a furniture store, and broke her ankle. But a few months later, she was $780,000 richer after she successfully sued (起诉) the shop. The owners were clearly surprised at the size of Roslyn's payout, particularly since the toddler she tripped over was her own son.‎ And it's not only claims for physical injuries that are keeping the lawyers busy. A group of overweight New York teenagers sued a giant fast-food company claiming that they had not had enough warning that a diet of burgers, fries and milk shakes would make them fat. The parents of one nineteen-year-old English schoolgirl successfully sued her school for 42,000 compensation when she failed to get a top grade in a university entrance exam. Sandra York received $113,000 from a Washington D.C. restaurant after slipping on a spilt soft drink. ‎ Who knows where it will end? Some say there should be penalties (处罚) for excessive (过度的) claims, or that there should be a limit on payouts. But one thing's for sure—in the end, the only certain winner is the lawyer!‎ ‎28. Roslyn sued a furniture store because ________‎ A. she tripped over by furniture in the store. B. she bought chairs of poor quality.‎ C. she was affected by the compensation culture. D. she tripped over her son. ‎ ‎29. How many examples does the author give to show the growing compensation culture in the USA?‎ 学校: 班级: 姓名： 考号： ‎ ‎…………………………………密………………………………封…………………………线……………………………………‎ A. 1 B. 2 C. 3 D. 4 ‎ ‎30. What is the author’s opinion towards the excessive claims? ‎ A. supportive B. neutral C. disapproving D. unconcerned ‎31. What is the best title for the text? ‎ A. To Sue or Not to Sue? B. The Best Way to Get Rich. ‎ C. The Decline of the Compensation Culture. D. Who Wins in the Lawsuits(诉讼)? ‎ D Everyone who has eaten instant noodles knows that it’s very easy to cook them quickly. However, have you ever heard of the danger of eating them?‎ When taking out the noodles from the packaging, you will notice that they are joined together nicely as a piece. Do you know that it needs some form of wax coating (蜡涂层) to make them joined together nicely? Many people don’t really care much about it because this seems very normal. However, studies have shown that the wax coating is bad for our body.‎ It is advisable to have a break of 2-3 days before we start to eat another packet of instant noodles because our body needs about 3 days to clear that wax coating away. Do you know the danger of having too much wax coating in our stomach? It will lead to cancer if it is in our body for so long.‎ Luckily, there is a way of reducing the danger before we eat instant noodles. First, wash the noodles with warm water, stir (搅拌) them and pour away the water containing the wax coating. Then repeat the first step and try to stir them again to wash away the wax coating on the noodles before cooking them. The shop vendors (供应商) will often wash away the dangerous wax coating.‎ It is very easy to cook instant noodles but we must pay attention to the wax coating if we eat too much. Imagine having too much of it in your stomach. Oh, my! Hope this article will help more people know about the hidden danger!‎ 32. What should you do before eating instant noodles according to the writer?‎ A. Stir the noodles twice in really cold water.‎ B. Stop the noodles from joining together.‎ C. Wash away the wax coating on the noodles.‎ D. Drink large amounts of warm or hot water.‎ ‎33. How does the author feel about eating 2 packets of instant noodles in a day?‎ A. Healthy. B. Dangerous. C. Happy. D. Angry.‎ ‎34. What does the underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refer to?‎ A. The instant noodle. B. The hidden danger. ‎ C. The attention. D. The wax coating.‎ ‎35. The author writes this text mainly to _____ .‎ A. introduce delicious instant noodles to people.‎ B. tell people the danger of eating wax coating.‎ C. help us to know the good part of wax coating.‎ D. share with us a safer way to eat instant noodles.‎ 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。‎ Communication is an essential part of human existence. However, not all of us are born with great personal relationship skills. In fact, a lot of people are afraid of talking to others or in front of a crowd for several reasons including physical deformities(残疾), lack of knowledge, and emotional hindrances(障碍). 36. ‎ ‎ Talk about interesting general subjects. 37. Current issues or news items are perfect starters because you can be sure that other people are aware of them. 38. However, know your limitations. Topics such as religion and politics can be discussed without debating. Often, key issues, especially those that take sides, make the best conversations. Discuss, do not argue. State facts and opinions politely, but do not force other people to accept what you believe in. 39. After all, the purpose of a conversation is to exchange views and information. ‎ ‎ Listen. Like relationships, conversations should have a give-and-take pattern. Allow other people to speak their opinions without constant interruptions. Pay attention and focus on every detail they say. 40. ‎ A. Topics that are too specific may not be appealing to everyone.‎ B. Do not panic when you have different opinions from others. ‎ C. An interest in another person’s point of view is absolutely essential.‎ D. Do not be afraid of conversational taboos(禁忌).‎ E. Here are some useful tips on conversation topics.‎ F. At the same time, be open to their viewpoints. ‎ G. Here are some useful tips to help you get over your poor conversation habits. ‎ 第三部分 英语知识运用 （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。‎ It is natural that young people are not often comfortable when they are with their parents. They say that their 41. don’t understand them. They often think that their parents are out of touch with modern ways; that they are too hard 42. their children; and that they 43. give their children a free hand. It is true that parents often find it difficult to win their children’s 44. and they tend to forget how they themselves 45. when young. For example, young people like to act at once without much 46. . It is one of their ways to show that they have 47. up and they can face any difficult situation. Instead, 48. people worry more easily. Most of them 49. things ahead, at least in their minds, and do not like their plans to be upset by something 50. .‎ When you want your parents to let you do 51. , you will have better success if you ask them 52. you really start doing it.‎ Young people often make their parents angry with their choices in clothes, in 53. and in music. But they do not mean to cause any trouble; it is just that they feel 54. from the older people’s world, into which they have not yet been accepted. That’s 55. young people want to make a new culture of their own. And if their parents do not like their music or entertainments or clothes or their ways of speech, this will make the young extremely 56. .‎ Sometimes you are so proud of yourself that you do not need your parents to 57. “yes” to what you do. All you want is to be 58. and do what you like. It is natural enough, after being a child for so many years, that you were completely under your parents’ control.‎ If you plan to control your life, you’d better persuade your parents and try to get them to 59. you. If your parents see that you have a high sense of responsibility, they will certainly give you the 60. to do what you want to do.‎ 41. A. teachers B. parents C. friends D. classmates 42. A. in B. for C. on D. to 43. A. often B. always C. rarely D. never 44. A. trust B. hate C. support D. envy 45. A. loved B. studied C. learned D. felt 46. A. thinking B. worrying C. promising D. choosing 47. A. stood B. got C. grown D. brought 48. A. young B. older C. younger D. many 49. A. agree B. plan C. think D. sense 50. A. surprised B. expected C. amazed D. unexpected 41. A. something B. nothing C. everything D. anything 42. A. after B. while C. before D. until 43. A. service B. sports C. behaviors D. entertainments 44. A. separated B. connected C. controlled D. contacted 45. A. because B. why C. that D. what 46. A. happy B. unhappy C. quiet D. active 47. A. express B. speak C. state D. say 48. A. left alone B. looked after C. watched over D. cared for 49. A. forgive B. believe C. understand D. trouble 50. A. advice B. explanation C. instruction D. right 第II卷 第二节 语法填空（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（不超过3个单词）‎ Buying books on the Internet is a great way 61. ( save) time and money. Online bookstores offer not only new books but also used books. What’s more, they are far better 62. (compare) to traditional bookstores as they offer much broader kinds of books. Another advantage of shopping online is that you can also read the book reviews as well as readers’ reviews to get an idea 63. the book is worth buying. Online bookstores often offer great discounts to 64. (attraction) book lovers with a tight budget.‎ For book lovers, 65. is important to get books in time, in which case they need to find a 66. (rely) online bookstore that is able to provide fast deliveries.‎ Here are some 67. (advise) for reference when you are selecting an online bookstore. Some online bookstores are popular 68. fiction books; some are for non-fiction books or novels, etc. Understanding their specialization will help you to get the right kinds of books in time. Never choose stores that offer 69. (believe) cheap prices, as books that 70. (sell) at such low prices could be in very bad condition.‎ 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。‎ The winter holiday is coming. I as well as Li Ming are going to do something meaningful. What can be seen, the Yellow River is not as cleaner as it used to be. People throw a large amount of rubbishs into the river every day. Besides, many factories pour a great deal of waste water into it, thus cause a serious water pollution. It is time that we do something to protect the river now. Li Ming and I will pick the rubbish floating on the river, that may make the river look cleaner. What’s more, we intend to give a speech in the public to increase people’s awareness of ‎ protecting our mother river. I’m sure they will take on a new look in the near future.‎ 第二节：书面表达（满分25分）‎ 假定你是李华，你的好友Jim在暑假期间痴迷于微信朋友圈，经常发照片分享生活中的所有细节，请根据以下要点提示，给Jim写一封信：‎ ‎ （1）对分享行为表示理解； （2）阐述过度分享的危害； （3）提出建议。‎ 注意：1.词数100左右。 2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。（参考词汇：微信朋友圈 WeChat circle； 过度分享 overshare）‎ Dear Jim,‎ ‎___________________________________________________________________________‎ Yours,‎ Li Hua ‎ ‎2018-2019学年第一学期赣州教育发展联盟十二月联考 高二年级英语参考答案 第一题、听力理解（每题1.5分，总分30分）‎ ‎1-5 CABBC 6-10 ABACB 11-15 ACCBA 16-20 BABCC 第二题、阅读理解（每题2分，总分40分）‎ ‎21-23 ADC 24-27 CBAD 28-31 DCBA 32-35 CBDB 36-40 GADFC 第三题、完形填空（每题1.5分，总分30分）‎ ‎41-45 BCCAD 46-50 ACBBD 51-55 ACDAB 56-60 BDACD 第四题、语法填空（每题1.5分，总分15分）‎ ‎61．to save 62. compared 63. whether 64. attract 65. it ‎66．reliable 67. advice 68. for 69. unbelievably 70. are sold 第五题、短文改错（每题1分，总分10分）‎ 71. are改为am 72. What改为As 73. cleaner改为clean 74. rubbishs改为rubbish 75. cause改为causing 76. do前加should或将do改为did 77. pick后加up 78. that改为which 79. 去掉the ‎ ‎80. they改为it 第六题、作文（总分25分）‎ 参考范文 Dear Jim,‎ I’m worried that you’ve been addicted to sharing all sorts of photos in WeChat circle recently. There is no doubt that WeChat makes communication convenient and our spare time colorful. However, there exist some potential risks if we overshare it. One severe problem is letting out privacy, which may cause economic losses. Besides, oversharing can make others uncomfortable, for they think you are showing off.‎ Therefore, we should never post our personal information in WeChat circle, and nor should we add strangers to the list of friends randomly. It’s wiser to set aside some time to accompany parents or do something more meaningful.‎ I would appreciate it if you could take my advice into consideration. Best wishes!‎ ‎ Yours,‎ Li Hua 作文评分标准：‎ ‎【第五档】(很好)：(21-25分)‎ ‎      1.完全完成了试题规定的任务。‎ ‎      2.覆盖所有内容要点。‎ ‎      3.应用了较多的语法结构和词汇。‎ ‎      4.语法结构或词汇方面有些许错误,但为尽力使用较复杂结构或较高级词汇所致;具备较强的语言运用能力。‎ ‎      5.有效地使用了语句间的连接成分，使全文结构紧凑。‎ ‎      6.完全达到了预期的写作目的。‎ ‎【第四档】(好)：(16-20分)‎ ‎      1.完全完成了试题规定的任务。‎ ‎      2.虽漏掉1、2个次重点，但覆盖所有主要内容。‎ ‎      3.应用的语法结构和词汇能满足任务的要求。‎ ‎      4.语法结构或词汇方面应用基本准确，些许错误主要是因尝试较复杂语法结构或词汇所致。‎ ‎      5.应用简单的语句间的连接成分，使全文结构紧凑。‎ ‎      6.达到了预期的写作目的。‎ ‎【第三档】(适当)：(11-15分)‎ ‎      1.基本完成了试题规定的任务。‎ ‎      2.虽漏掉一些内容，但覆盖所有主要内容。‎ ‎      3.应用的语法结构和词汇能满足任务的要求。‎ ‎      4.有一些语法结构或词汇方面的错误，但不影响理解。‎ ‎      5.应用简单的语句间的连接成分，使全文内容连贯。‎ ‎      6.整体而言，基本达到了预期的写作目的。‎ ‎【第二档】(较差)：(6-10分)‎ ‎      1.未恰当完成试题规定的任务。‎ ‎      2.漏掉或未描述清楚一些主要内容，写了一些无关内容。‎ ‎      3.语法结构单调、词汇项目有限。‎ ‎      4.有一些语法结构或词汇方面的错误，影响了对写作内容的理解。‎ ‎      5.较少使用语句间的连接成分，内容缺少连贯性。‎ ‎      6.信息未能清楚地传达给读者。‎ ‎【第一档】(差)：(1-5分)‎ ‎      1.未完成试题规定的任务。‎ ‎      2.明显遗漏主要内容，写了一些无关内容，原因可能是未理解试题要求。‎ ‎      3.语法结构单调、词汇项目有限。‎ ‎      4.较多语法结构或词汇方面的错误，影响对写作内容的理解。‎ ‎      5.缺乏语句间的连接成分，内容不连贯。‎ ‎      6.信息未能传达给读者。‎ 听力文本 Text 1‎ M: How much money will I have to spend to rent an apartment in America? I’ll only have $ 500 a month.‎ W: Your rent should be about a quarter of that.‎ Text 2‎ W: So, Tom, what do you do in your free time?‎ M: Well, I love sports. Hmm. Hockey, baseball, and skiing are my favorites.‎ W: Wow, you’re a really good athlete!‎ M: No, no, I’ m not. I don’t play those sports. I just watch them on TV.‎ Text 3‎ M: Let me see. I have printed my family name, first name, date of birth, and address. Anything else?‎ W: No. We’ll fill in the rest of it if you’ll just sign your name at the bottom.‎ M: OK, here?‎ Text 4‎ M: It’s a wonderful day, isn’t it ? Want to join me for a swim?‎ W: If you don’t mind waiting while I get prepared.‎ M: Not at all. But be quick, please!‎ Text 5‎ M: I’m expecting to go abroad shortly. So I am very anxious to learn enough English to get along by myself.‎ W: It’s awful to visit a foreign country without being able to use the language.‎ Text 6‎ M: Would you please tell me why you want to work in our kindergarten? You know kids are sometimes so tiresome.‎ W: I love children. I can sing to them and teach them how to dance.‎ M: Then you have worked in a kindergarten before?‎ W: No, but I used to take care of children during summer and winter holidays.‎ M: I see. By the way, do you want to work part-time or full-time?‎ W: I’d prefer part-time.‎ M: When can you work?‎ W: I’ m free every afternoon. So I can work about 20 hours a week.‎ M: OK, Jean, you’re hired. You can work here from 2:00 p. m. to 6:00 p.m., four days a week, Monday to Thursday.‎ Text 7‎ W: Thank goodness. It wasn’t as hard as I thought.‎ M: Well, it was completely within my expectation.‎ W: But don’t you think the answers weren’t clear for the last few multiple-choice questions? I just guessed.‎ M: I totally agree. The teacher set a few obstacles for us on purpose. Otherwise everyone would get full marks.‎ W: The other tough part was the writing. Though what we were required to do was just write a very short and simple essay, I was confused a lot by the use of Chinese words and sentence structures.‎ M: Hmm, I had the same problem. We should read more and then imitate the writing.‎ W: Gook idea. I believe we will make better progress by practicing more in this way.‎ Text 8‎ M: Hi, Diana.‎ W: Hi, Mike! Nice to see you again.‎ M: Me too. Diana, we have a lecture this afternoon. It’s on English culture. Would you like to join us?‎ W: Oh, I’d love to, but you know, I have a computer class this afternoon.‎ M: A computer class?‎ W: Yes. It’s a compulsory course. Dr. Rich is very strict, and he won’t let us pass if we are absent from his class three times or more.‎ M: Oh, poor you. Are you taking a business communication class?‎ W: No, not this term.‎ M: Is it optional or compulsory?‎ W: Optional, I think .What do you think about it?‎ M: Very difficult, I would say. We have a lot of work to do this term and I have already handed in five essays.‎ W: Really? Do you have a term paper?‎ M: Yes, a 3000-word paper.‎ W: That’s torture. Oh, I’m not cut out for it.‎ M: Come on! I know you are!‎ Text 9‎ M: Hey, Linda, did you get that letter about the new options for food service next year?‎ W: Not yet, are there a lot of changes?‎ M: There sure are. Instead of paying one fee to cover all meals for the whole school year, we are now able to choose how many meals a week we want and can contract just for that amount. We still have to pay the whole year at the beginning, but we can choose to buy seven, ten, fourteen or twenty-one meals per week. They give you a card with the number of meals you get each week marked on it.‎ W: That’s a big change, Tom, and a complicated system.‎ M: Yeah, but it will be much better for people who don’t eat three meals a day, seven days a week in the cafeteria because they don’t have to pay for meals they don’t eat.‎ W: So what’s the deal for those who do eat at school all the time?‎ M: It’s better for them too, because the more meals you contract for, the cheaper each one is. ‎ W: I see. It still sounds rather complicated.‎ M: True. It took me several hours to figure it out. I decided to go with the ten-meal plan.‎ W: Why is that?‎ M: Well, I never eat breakfast and I often go away on weekends. So the ten-meal plan gives me lunch and dinner every weekday at a fairly low price. And I won’t be paying for meals I don’t usually eat.‎ Text10. ‎ This August, we’ll welcome guests from all over the world. Some of them follow their own special cultural traditions. It’s important for us to know about them.‎ In many countries, such as Thailand, India and Malaysia, people believe that the left hand is unclean. So it’s not proper to use one’s left hand to hold food, touch others or pass objects. Doing so may offend certain guests. Some Westerners may be offended if you touch them or their personal things --- even by accident. If this happens, say sorry politely. Some elderly Westerners may be offended if you try to help them without their agreement.‎ People think numbers can be lucky or unlucky. Some Westerners avoid the number 13 because they believe it is unlucky. Muslims do not eat pork, and some words like pig are not considered proper. People from Brazil, Italy and Pakistan do not give handkerchiefs as gifts. They believe a handkerchief is closely connected with unhappy feelings. Wine is not sent as a gift in many parts of western and central Asia, where many Muslims live. ‎