山东省济宁市第一中学2018-2019学年高二10月阶段检测英语试题 17页

‎ 济宁一中2017级2018—2019学年高二第一学期阶段检测 英语试题 ‎ 考试时间120分钟　满分150分 命题人： 审题人： ‎ 第Ⅰ卷 第一部分　听力 (共两节，每小题1.5分，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. What is the woman going to do this afternoon? ‎ A. Eat out. B. See a doctor. C. Go shopping.‎ ‎2. How does Henry feel now? ‎ A. Proud. B. Tired. C. Grateful.‎ ‎3. What did Fred do? ‎ A. He travelled to Italy.‎ B. He offered Kate a ride.‎ C. He bought a new car.‎ ‎4. What does the woman do? ‎ A. She’s a salesperson.‎ B. She’s a librarian.‎ C. She’s a bank clerk.‎ ‎5. What did Patrick do last Friday? ‎ A. He moved to another place.‎ B. He sold his old apartment.‎ C. He went out with a friend.‎ 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。‎ ‎6. What is the probable relationship between the speakers? ‎ A. Strangers. B. Classmates. C. Co-workers.‎ ‎7. Why is Sara worried? ‎ A. She has problem preparing for a speech.‎ B. She knows nothing about British history.‎ C. She fails to finish her homework on time.‎ 听下面一段对话，回答第8至第10题。‎ ‎8. Who are the speakers? ‎ A. Students. B. Secretaries. C. Teachers.‎ ‎9. When will Ms. Kelly probably give the lecture? ‎ A. On Tuesday. ‎ B. On Wednesday.‎ C. On Friday.‎ ‎10. What will the man probably do next? ‎ A. Go on a trip.‎ B. Talk to Dr. Lee.‎ C. Start a research project.‎ 听下面一段对话，回答第11至第13题。‎ ‎11. What is the man doing? ‎ A. Asking for directions.‎ B. Touring the city centre.‎ C. Talking to a friend.‎ ‎12. What does the man decide to do? ‎ A. Keep walking. ‎ B. Get a taxi.‎ C. Wait for the bus.‎ ‎13. How does the man feel at the end of the conversation? ‎ A. Annoyed. B. Excited. C. Surprised.‎ 听下面一段对话，回答第14至第17题。‎ ‎14. What is “People You Meet”? ‎ A. An office party.‎ B. A training course.‎ C. A radio program.‎ ‎15. How many people does Mark’s office receive every year? ‎ A. 100,000. ‎ B. 200,000. ‎ C. 500,000.‎ ‎16. What do we know about Mark? ‎ A. He is a team leader.‎ B. He was born in London.‎ C. He speaks thirteen languages.‎ ‎17. What do Mark and his co-workers usually do to help people? ‎ A. Show them around.‎ B. Plan tours for them.‎ C. Teach them English.‎ 听下面一段独白，回答第18至第20题。‎ ‎18. How long did the speaker and his family live in the downtown apartment? ‎ A. 8 years.‎ B. 10 years.‎ C. 30 years.‎ ‎19. What was the reason for the speaker’s unpleasant childhood? ‎ A. Strict family rules.‎ B. Little chance to play outside.‎ C. Too much school work.‎ ‎20. What does the speaker think of outdoor activities? ‎ A. Colorless.‎ B. Dangerous.‎ C. Enjoyable.‎ 第二部分　阅读理解 (共两节，满分30分)‎ 第一节 (共10小题；每小题2分，满分20分)‎ 阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项。‎ A There are numerous amusement parks all over the world. A famous magazine, Amusement Today, does a survey among park lovers every year both in the US and overseas, based on which, “Top 5 List of the Best Amusement Parks in the World” has come out as follows:‎ Disneyland‎, ‎California Disneyland is a theme park in Anaheim, California, the US. More than 515 million guests have traveled to this American landmark from around the world since the park first opened to guests on July 17, 1955. The park consists of many world-famous sections, such as Main Street, Adventure‎ ‎Land, New Orleans Square, and so on.‎ Magic‎ Kingdom, Disney World, ‎Florida Magic‎ Kingdom is a theme park within the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, near Orlando opened on October 1, 1971. It is the most famous theme park in Florida. The park’s design and attractions don’t make much difference from Disneyland Park in Anaheim.‎ EPCOT, Disney World, ‎Florida EPCOT is the second theme park built at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando‎, ‎Florida. The park opened on October 1, 1982, and was named EPCOT‎ ‎Center from 1982 to 1993. It was the largest Disney theme park in the world until 1998, when Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened.‎ Disney-MGM Studios, ‎Florida MGM’s streets are the home for some great movie-themed attractions with a history of less than 30 years. With the addition of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and the Rock and Roller Coaster, the park is now home to Disney World’s most thrilling rides. ‎ Universal Studios, ‎Florida Go behind the scenes, beyond the screen and jump right into the action of your favorite movies at Universal Studios, the number one movie and TV theme park in the world.‎ ‎21. Which park has the longest history?‎ A. Disneyland‎, ‎California. ‎ B. Magic Kingdom, Disney World, Florida.‎ C. EPCOT, Disney World, Florida. ‎ D. Disney-MGM Studios, Florida.‎ ‎22. Which of the following theme parks have similar attractions?‎ A. Disneyland & Magic‎ ‎Kingdom.‎ B. EPCOT & Disney-MGM.‎ C. Disneyland & Universal Studios.‎ D. Magic‎ ‎Kingdom & Universal Studios.‎ ‎23. What’s the purpose of the passage?‎ A. To attract tourists to these theme parks.‎ B. To compare attractions in different theme parks.‎ C. To introduce world’s best amusement parks.‎ D. To increase the sales of Amusement Today.‎ B It seems that in many places storms visit more often. When a storm is coming, most people leave the area as quickly as possible and head for safety. But there are a few people who will get into their cars and go straight for the center of the storm. These people are willing to risk being killed by floods or 100-kilometer-an-hour winds for the excitement of watching the storm close up.‎ ‎“Storm chasing” is becoming an increasingly popular hobby, especially in the Midwest of the United States, where there are frequent storms between March and July. A storm chaser begins the day by checking the Internet for the latest weather reports, and then drives up to 1,000 kilometers to where the storm will be and waits for it to develop. ‎ Although anyone can do it, storm chasing is extremely dangerous. The power of a big storm can throw a cow into the air or destroy a whole house in seconds. Storm chasers are also often hurt in accidents caused by driving in a heavy rain. If you are a beginner, it is much safer to join a group for storm-chasing vacations during the storm season.‎ Even then, storm chasing is not all adventure and excitement. “Storm chasing is 95% driving,” says Daniel Lynch, who spends most of his summer storm-chasing. “Sometimes you can sit around for hours waiting for something to happen, and all you get is blue sky and a few light showers.”‎ However, for storm chasers, it is all worth it. “When you get close to a storm, it is the most exciting sight you will ever see in your life,” says Jasper Morley. “Every storm is an example of the power of nature. It is the greatest show on Earth.”‎ ‎24. Beginners of storm chasing are advised . ‎ A. not to get too close to a storm B. to spend more time on it in summer ‎ C. not to drive in a heavy rain D. to do it in an organized way ‎25. By saying “it is all worth it” in the last paragraph, the author means that .‎ A. efforts in storm chasing are well paid ‎ B. a storm presents the greatest show on Earth C. storm chasing costs a lot of money D. storm chasing is worth hours of waiting ‎ ‎26. What can we learn from the text?‎ A. Many storm chasers get killed in the storms.‎ B. Storm chasing is only fit for young people.‎ C. Storm chasing is becoming popular around the world.‎ D. Sometimes storm chasers get nothing but disappointment.‎ C Technology is always trying to meet our needs and demands. There’s a new frontier in 3D printing that’s beginning to come into focus: food. Recent development has made possible machines that print, cook and serve foods on a mass scale. And the industry isn’t stopping there.‎ Food production With a 3D printer, a cook can print complicated chocolate sculptures and beautiful pieces for decoration on a wedding cake. Not everybody can do that — it takes years of experience, but a printer makes it easy. A restaurant in Spain uses a Foodini to “recreate forms and pieces” of food that are “exactly the same,” freeing cooks to complete other tasks. In another restaurant, all of the dishes and desserts it serves are 3D-printed, rather than farm to table.‎ Sustainability (可持续性)‎ The global population is expected to grow to 9.6 billion by 2050, and some analysts estimate that food production will need to be raised by 50 percent to maintain current levels. Sustainability is becoming a necessity. 3D food printing could probably contribute to the solution. Some experts believe printers could use hydrocolloids (水解胶体) from plentiful renewables like algae (藻类) and grass to replace the familiar ingredients (烹饪原料). 3D printing can reduce fuel use and emissions. Grocery stores of the future might stock “food” that lasts years on end, freeing up shelf space and reducing transportation and storage requirements.‎ Nutrition Future 3D food printers could make processed food healthier. Hod Lipson, a professor at Columbia‎ ‎University, said, “Food printing could allow consumers to print food with customized nutritional content, like vitamins. So instead of eating a piece of yesterday’s bread from the supermarket, you’d eat something baked just for you on demand.”‎ Challenges Despite recent advancements in 3D food printing, the industry has many challenges to overcome. Currently, most ingredients must be changed to a paste (糊状物) before a printer can use them, and the printing process is quite time-consuming, because ingredients interact with each other in very complex ways. On top of that, most of the 3D food printers now are restricted to dry ingredients, because meat and milk products may easily go bad. Some experts are skeptical about 3D food printers, believing they are better suited for fast food restaurant than homes and high-end restaurants.‎ ‎27. What benefit does 3D printing bring to food production?‎ ‎　A. It improves the cooking conditions.‎ ‎　B. It contributes to restaurant decorations.‎ ‎　C. It helps cooks to create new dishes.‎ ‎　D. It saves time and effort in cooking.‎ ‎28. According to Paragraph 4, 3D-printed food ________.‎ A. can keep all the nutrition in raw materials ‎　B. is more tasty than food in supermarkets ‎ ‎　C. can meet individual nutritional needs ‎　D. is more available to consumers ‎29. What is the main factor that prevents 3D food printing from spreading widely?‎ ‎　A. Some experts doubt 3D food printing.‎ ‎　B. Food materials have to be dry.‎ ‎　C. 3D food printers are too expensive.‎ ‎　D. The printing process is complicated.‎ ‎30. What could be the best title of the passage?‎ ‎　A. The Challenges for 3D Food Production B. 3D Food Printing: From Farm to Table ‎　C. A New Way to Improve 3D Food Printing ‎　D. 3D Food Printing: Delicious New Technology 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。‎ With time going on, dogs have developed a special relationship with people. Recently, however, some dogs have taken a different role in people’s lives — therapy dogs.‎ ‎ 31 Some therapy dogs visit patients in hospitals or nursing homes, while others visit children in schools and libraries. They are there to help children become better readers.‎ Reading‎ programs that use therapy dogs have been in existence for more than ten years. All therapy dogs of this program are registered with an organization that tests the dogs to make sure they have the right personality for the job.‎ ‎ 32 Both the dogs and the handlers are volunteers with the reading program.‎ At the start of a reading therapy session, a child and a dog are introduced. The pair is allowed to settle down in a quiet corner together. 33 An adult handler stays nearby but generally lets the dog perform its job without being interrupted. Sometimes, a handler may ask a question that encourages the child to work with the dog to help the child feel more comfortable. ‎ Not every child will be able to be part of a reading therapy program that uses dogs. A few children might be allergic to dogs or afraid of them; some children might have cultural traditions that prevent them from touching a dog. 34 ‎ Reading therapy programs inspire learning and change for human beings. The readers benefit a lot, gaining confidence and learning that reading aloud can be a relaxing experience.‎ ‎ 35 They spend time with human friends. For dogs that love human companionship and a quiet place to rest, being part of a reading therapy program can be a great way to spend a few hours being with humans each day. ‎ A. As the child reads, the dog usually lies quietly and listens. ‎ ‎ B. A dog’s handler also takes a class and must pass a test to work in the therapy program.‎ ‎ C. When reading to an animal, some children may become relaxed. ‎ ‎ D. A therapy dog is more of a companion and is trained to help people in different ways.‎ ‎ E. But therapy animals also serve in many other areas.‎ ‎ F. In these circumstances, other animals are available, such as cats and parrots.‎ ‎ G. But how do the therapy dogs benefit from it?‎ 第三部分 语言运用 (共三小节; 满分50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。‎ A boy named Nick dialed 911 this Thanksgiving. He just wanted to give 36 to his local police office. Nick asked the police officers to 37 him and his family for their holiday dinner at their home.‎ ‎“With all the 38 calls we take on a daily basis, this one was a welcomed happy call that made all of us 39 ,” said Monica from the police office.‎ The boy admitted that he’d 40 the number soon. “I had told him to do that for 41 only.” The boy’s mom, Mary Ann 42 .‎ When two officers 43 Nick’s house to thank him for his 44 offer, she said her young son began crying because he thought he was 45 .‎ ‎“The policemen had to 46 my son, so did I,” Ann said. ‎ ‎“The officers told Nick that it was 47 to know someone that young was still thinking about them over the holiday and that they were very proud of him, ” she 48 .‎ The officers didn’t 49 eating any of the family’s turkey, but they did give the boy a badge（警徽） and let him take 50 inside their police car. While he now knows that the number 911 51 be used for non-emergencies, Nick also has his 52 set on becoming a policeman when he’s older.‎ ‎“It just goes to show that policemen aren’t just about 53 people and putting them in prison,” Monica told the local media.‎ ‎“Nick’s call 54 all of our days, and the officers’ surprise visit gave Nick a sweet Thanksgiving 55 that will stay with him for the rest of his life. It is a special holiday for ‎ Nick and us.”‎ ‎36. A. explanation B. thanks C. money D. trouble ‎37. A. help B. collect C. surprise D. join ‎38. A. bad B. great C. strange D. fire ‎39. A. worry B. cry C. smile D. change ‎40. A. hidden B. dialed C. thrown D. remembered ‎41. A. advice B. fun C. policemen D. emergencies ‎42. A. apologized B. lied C. sighed D. screamed ‎43. A. examined B. searched C. visited D. called ‎44. A. unconditional B. generous C. attractive D. selfish ‎ ‎45. A. in charge B. in relief C. in need D. in trouble ‎46. A. calm down B. look after C. care about D. think well of ‎47. A. fortunate B. uncomfortable C. great D. disappointed ‎ ‎48. A. answered B. added C. forgave D. agreed ‎49. A. end up B. put off C. go on D. get through ‎50. A. photos B. shelter C. punishment D. notes ‎51. A. wouldn’t B. mightn’t C. needn’t D. shouldn’t ‎52. A. date B. limit C. heart D. standard ‎53. A. worrying B. catching C. fining D. protecting ‎54. A. brightened B. disturbed C. wasted D. relaxed ‎55. A. opportunity B. lesson C. dinner D. memory 第Ⅱ卷 第三部分 语言运用 第二节　单词填空 (共10小题; 每小题1分, 满分10分)‎ 根据句意及首字母或汉语提示在各题空白处写出单词的正确形式。‎ ‎56. The paper should be __________(折叠) along the dotted line.‎ ‎57. There were times when the challenges of writing such a huge novel almost __________(打败) ‎ her. ‎ ‎58. She swam, sunbathed and went __________(观光), enjoying herself in the holiday. ‎ ‎59. England is the largest of the four countries and for convenience it is __________(粗略地) divided into three zones.‎ ‎60. Our school sees its job as preparing students to make a __________(贡献) to society.‎ ‎61. John Snow became inspired when he thought about helping ordinary people e__________ to ‎ cholera.‎ ‎62. With enough evidence the doctor was able to a__________ with certainty that polluted water ‎ carried the disease.‎ ‎63. A __________ in reading the novel, the student didn’t notice the teacher coming in.‎ ‎64. The company has a__________ for a bus to meet the foreign guests at the airport. ‎ ‎65. Tom often q__________ with his brothers over which TV programs they should watch.‎ 第三节　语法填空 (满分10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。‎ ‎ Nobody wants to be aged, but 66   it comes to visiting cities, most of us want to visit the world’s oldest cities. Luoyang is one of the oldest and most 67 (attract) cities in the world that I’d like to recommend to you. ‎ Luoyang‎ stands out 68   the oldest continually inhabited city in Asia. The city is considered to be 69   birthplace of Chinese culture and history as well as being one of the Seven Ancient Capitals of China. There 70 (be) no other city in China that has seen so many 71 (dynasty) like Luoyang. ‎ With such a long and exciting history, Luoyang has really a lot 72 (offer). The Longmen Grottoes, which 73 (include) in the world Heritage List since 2000, and many ‎ historic Buddhist temples 74 (constant) attract tourists from all over the world. Luoyang is also famous for the White Horse Temple, the earliest Buddhist temple 75 (establish) in China. Are you anxious to visit the city?‎ 第四部分　写作 (共两节, 满分40分)‎ 第一节 应用文写作 (满分 25分)‎ 假如你是李华，最近你的澳大利亚朋友Steven打算来中国旅游并来济宁停留两天。他写信询问你能否当他的导游，并想了解你的家乡。请你用英语写一封电子邮件，内容包括：‎ ‎1. 你为他所做的两天日程安排；‎ ‎2. 推荐食宿旅店；‎ ‎3. 推荐一个旅游景点。‎ 注意：词数100左右；信的开头已为你写好，不计入总词数。‎ Dear Steven，‎ How is everything going? _____________________________________________________‎ ‎___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________‎ Yours sincerely,‎ Li Hua 第二节 读后续写 ( 满分15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。‎ Scout could clearly remember the night she had to leave her home in Poland. It was the beginning of World War II and her family had to escape as soon as possible. She quickly packed a suitcase with a few pieces of clothing, her diary, and her most prized treasure, a silk scarf. Scout and her best friend, Betty, had persuaded their parents to buy them matching scarves, which they took as a symbol of their friendship. Scout didn’t know she was going to America and would not be returning. Scout kept that special silk scarf for many years. One day she decided to give it to her granddaughter, Eliza, to wear to her first job interview for good luck. Scout was afraid that Eliza ‎ would lose the scarf, but the granddaughter promised, "Don't worry, Grandma, nothing's going to happen to your scarf. You'll see that it’s going to bring both of us luck." And with that, Eliza kissed her grandmother and left for the interview. Leaving the interview, Eliza felt confident that she had got the job so she decided to celebrate by going to a restaurant. Sitting at her table, Eliza felt an elderly woman staring at her for a long time. ‎ ‎"I'm sorry. Do I know you?" Eliza asked. "I'm sorry, dear, but you remind me of my best friend," the old woman replied. "She looked like you and used to wear a scarf just like yours." Eliza listened carefully, with her eyes and mouth wide open. She had heard stories of her grandmother's best friend and knew the meaning of the scarf. Could this woman be Betty, her grandmother's childhood friend?‎ 注意：‎ ‎1. 所续写短文词数应为100左右；‎ ‎2. 至少使用5个短文中标有下划线的关键词语；‎ ‎3. 续写部分分为两段，每段开头语已给出，不计入总词数；‎ ‎4. 续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。‎ Paragraph 1:‎ Then the old woman introduced herself, “My name is _______________________________‎ ‎___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________‎ Paragraph 2:‎ The old woman agreed. _______________________________________________________‎ ‎_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________‎ ‎______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________‎ 高二第一学期阶段检测 英语试题答案 ‎1—5 CBCBA 6—10 BACAB 11—15 ABACC 16—20 ABABC ‎21—23 AAC 24—26 DAD 27—30 DCBD ‎31—35 DBAFG ‎36—45 BDACB DACBD 46—55 ACBAA DCBAD 单词拼写 ‎ ‎56. folded 57. defeated 58. sightseeing 59. roughly 60. contribution 61. exposed ‎ ‎62. announce 63. Absorbed 64. arranged 65. quarrels 语法填空 ‎66. when 67. attractive 68. as 69. the 70. is 71. dynasties 72. to offer ‎ ‎73. has been included 74. constantly 75. established ‎ 应用文写作 参考范文 Dear Steven,‎ Hearing that you are going to be with us for two days, I feel more than delighted and I’m writing to tell you my arrangements for your stay in our city.‎ I swear you will find it worthwhile to visit our city. On the first day, I’d like to guide you to our city museum to help you get a better understanding of our city. Additionally, cycling along the North‎ ‎Lake, which lies in the south of our city, is a good choice for you to have a feast for our eyes.‎ By the way, it is very convenient for me to pick you up at the airport, and I strongly recommend Friendship Hotel, a five-star hotel with well-equipped rooms and excellent services.‎ Looking forward to your reply.‎ Yours sincerely,‎ Li Hua 续写 参考范文 Then the old woman introduced herself, “My name is Betty. I’m originally from Poland, but left there when I was thirteen. And I have been living here in Washington DC in America ever since.” Eliza could not believe it, stories of her grandmother’s best friend floating in her mind. She assumed that the old woman must be her grandmother’s best friend. She said, “Betty, would you mind coming with me right now? I need to show you somebody.”‎ The old woman agreed. Soon they left the restaurant after dinner. Arriving at Scout’s home, the old woman eagerly rang the door bell. The moment Scout opened the door, she was amazed to see her childhood friend standing in front of her. How magical! The scarf indeed brought them good luck. Excited and moved, both of them were in tears. They hadn’t seen each other for many years and had many things to share. ‎ 听力原文 ‎ (Text 1)‎ M: Sorry about the broken plate, Mary. I was so careless just now.‎ W: It’s okay. I’m glad you didn’t get hurt. We’ll get some new ones at the supermarket this afternoon. So don’t worry about it.‎ ‎(Text 2)‎ W: Hi, Henry. I heard you’ve travelled a lot recently.‎ M: Yeah, I just came back from Africa. ‎ W: Well, I really envy you.‎ M: You won’t if you know how tiring it was. Now, I just want to take a break. A long break.‎ ‎(Text 3)‎ W: Hi, John. What’s new?‎ M: Hi, Kate. Nothing too much with me, but you ought to see Fred’s new car.‎ W: So, he finally got that Italian sports car…‎ M: He sure did. I can hardly wait to go for a ride in it.‎ ‎(Text 4)‎ M: Hi, I’d like to apply for a card to borrow books.‎ W: Okay, please fill out this form.‎ M: All right ... All done.‎ W: Well, now please sign the card.‎ ‎(Text 5)‎ W: Patrick moved out last Friday. He’s now living in a nice and quiet neighborhood.‎ M: Yes, I heard about it. I wonder if he’s paying more for the new apartment. Anyway, he must be very glad to leave this noisy place.‎ ‎(Text 6)‎ M: Hi, Sara. How’s your speech for Professor Grey’s class next Monday?‎ W: Actually, I’m a bit worried.‎ M: Why should you? What’s going on?‎ W: You know...what I chose to talk about is British history.‎ M: Really? That is a big topic.‎ W: Yes. There are so many things to cover. I just can’t see how to do it in a three-minute speech.‎ ‎(Text 7)‎ M: Polly, Ms. Kelly has agreed to come and give a talk about international relations next week. When do you think we can fit her lecture in?‎ W: That’s great, Nick. What about Friday afternoon, then?‎ M: I’m afraid some students are planning to go on a trip. Maybe we can have it on Wednesday afternoon.‎ W: No, that’s not possible either. Most students are having group activities for their research projects. Well, I have an idea. I have a class on Tuesday afternoon, and probably Ms. Kelly can use my time.‎ M: That’s possible. But I have to speak to Dr. Lee about that, and you should also talk to the students about the change.‎ W: Oh, yes. I’ll certainly do that.‎ ‎(Text 8)‎ M: Excuse me, I’m trying to get to the Spring‎ ‎Gardens. Is it far from here?‎ W: Spring‎ ‎Gardens? No, it’s not this way. It’s in the city centre.‎ M: Is it? Oh, no! Someone told me it was this way.‎ W: No, no. It’s not this way. You want to go down there.‎ M: Yes, okay…down there.‎ W: Yep. Then, turn left, okay?‎ M: Left...‎ W: Yep, then right — first street on your right.‎ M: Right.‎ W: Then straight on, keep walking…‎ M: Oh, I’m lost! It sounds really difficult. Um, could I get a taxi anywhere near here?‎ W: It’s not so far. You just walk to the corner of the street or over the next block. There are buses that can take you there. ‎ M: Well, it’s starting to rain. I think I’ll get a taxi. Thanks, anyway.‎ W: That’s okay. Lots of taxis go this way.‎ M: I’m getting wet. What a day!‎ ‎(Text 9) ‎ W: Hello, welcome to this week’s “People You Meet”. Today, we present to you Mark Leach, an information officer in London.‎ M: Hi, everyone. My name’s Mark Leach. I’m an information officer at the Britain Business Center, which is a tourist office for the British Tourist Board in London. Here, we offer a tourist information service to mainly visitors from overseas. And each year, we have about 500,000 people come to the office.‎ W: Wow, that’s a large number of people. How do you manage to meet the needs of so many people?‎ M: I’m in charge of an information team. The team has about ten officers who give tourist information directly over the counter to visitors. We speak a total of thirteen languages altogether.‎ W: That’s pretty cool! So, what exactly do you do every day?‎ M: Well, we act as a one-stop shop for anyone who wants to come in. So, it could be that they want a day-trip from London, which is a very popular request. And we can offer suggestions of where to go and how to get there. If people want a two-week tour of Britain, we can plan out exactly where to visit, what roads to take.‎ W: So, do you have any suggestions for people coming to Britain?‎ M: A good suggestion is to see as much as you can, but try to come back again and again to see different parts of the country, because in that way, you’ll really experience it.‎ ‎(Text 10) ‎ M: Right! Next, I’ll tell you something about my childhood. Although we have always lived in the same city, my family and I moved a lot since I was old enough to remember. We don’t have our own house. We have always rented them. For eight years, we lived downtown in a large 10-story building with no less than 30 apartments in it. The conditions were very good. But on the other hand, we had a lot of problems. Imagine how difficult and colorless life was for a nine-year-old boy, full of life, having no place to play freely. No sun, no open air, no football games. School’s from 7:30 to noon and the afternoon’s spent in a room studying, reading, or playing indoor games with a friend or two.‎ ‎ No outdoor activities because the streets were too dangerous, and the parents much too afraid to let a young boy go out. How I wished for the weekends to come. I could then burst out with joy and happiness when we went out for a visit to some friends or relatives, a picnic, or even a car ride. I think that’s one of the reasons why I became such a strong nature lover.‎