英语卷·2017届北京昌平临川育人学校高三上学期期末考试（2017-01） 12页

北京临川学校高三上学期期末考试 英语试卷 ‎ 本试卷分为第I卷（选择题）和第 II卷（非选择题）‎ 第I卷（选择题 满分100分）‎ ‎ 注意事项：1.答第I卷前，考生务必将自己的姓名、班级、考号等信息填写在答题卡上。‎ ‎2.选出每小题的答案后，用铅笔将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，再填涂其他答案标号。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）‎ 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，你将有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 will the man buy for the woman?‎ A. Notebooks. B. Paper. C. Pencils.‎ ‎2. Where does the conversation take place?‎ A. In a bookstore. B. In a library. C. In the woman’s office.‎ ‎3. Why will Mr. Rogers be out of the office next week?‎ A. To take a holiday B. To attend a wedding. C. To travel on business.‎ ‎4. What does the man mean?‎ A. The woman can’t leave early. B. He’ll pick up the woman’s parents.‎ C. Mr. Black won’t come at 4 o’clock.‎ ‎5. What are the speakers talking about?‎ A. A lift worker. B. The man’s sister. C. A lift accident.‎ 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. Why did Gareth Jones quit the game halfway?‎ A. He got hurt. B. He was too tired. C. He broke match rules. ‎ ‎7. What will the speakers do next Saturday?‎ A. Visit Gareth. B. Watch a game. C. Play a match.‎ 听第7段材料，回答第8、9题。‎ ‎8. What impressed the man most?‎ A. The plot. B. The main performers. C. The songs.‎ ‎9. What do we know about the musical?‎ A. The woman has seen it. B. The writer won awards for it.‎ C. People speak highly of its plot.‎ 听第8段材料，回答第10至12题。‎ ‎10. What did the woman think of the house owner?‎ A. Kind. B. Cold. C. Serious.‎ ‎11. Why did the woman leave the flat?‎ A. The rent was high. B. The room was too cold. C. The neighbors were noisy.‎ ‎12. How did the woman’s neighbor act when they met one morning?‎ A. Angrily. B. Sadly. C. Dishonestly.‎ 听第9段材料，回答第13至16题。‎ ‎13. How high does the woman need to climb for the walking?‎ A. 1,500 meters. B. 2,000 meters. C. 4,000 meters.‎ ‎14. How did the woman prepare for the walking?‎ A. She slept out in the tent in winter.‎ B. She climbed a 4,000-meter high mountain.‎ C. She took long walks through the hills daily.‎ ‎15. What did woman think of the walking?‎ A. It was hard but enjoyable. B. It was difficult and tiresome. ‎ C. It was wonderful and smooth.‎ ‎16. What was the most exciting moment during the walking?‎ A. Watching the sunset. B. Seeing the ruined buildings. ‎ C. Walking through the Sun Gate.‎ 听第10段材料，回答第17至20题。‎ ‎17. How long does the break in Barcelona last?‎ A. Two nights. B. Three nights. C. Seven nights.‎ ‎18. What costs extra money for the Barcelona break?‎ A. Flights. B. Breakfast. C. Evening meals.‎ ‎19. On what can visitors get discounts with a discount card?‎ A. All the city sights. B. Some restaurants. C. 5-star hotels.‎ ‎20. When is the deadline of the booking for the Barcelona break?‎ A. September 30th. B. October 5th. C. October 31st.‎ 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 ‎ Every morning, some people may have the habit of watching the astrological (占星术的)advice on the TV news before they go to work. When reading magazines, some people might first go to the section on astrological predictions to determine what’s in store for them in the coming day, week or month. This interest in astrology is especially strong at the beginning of a new year. Immediately before a new year, many astrological experts are making predictions and giving advice. It seems that astrology is gaining popularity, but how popular is astrology and is it actually trustworthy?‎ According to a study by searchterms. com, the word astrology is the most searched topic on the Internet, and a search for astrology on Google will bring up nearly two million websites. A study by the newspaper USA Today shows that a third of all Americans believe in astrology and spend almost $100 million a year on it. More surprisingly, the fastest-growing group of believers in America is made up of managers and professionals. No wonder Donald Regan, former White House Chief of Staff, said, “It’s common knowledge that a large percentage of Wall Street brokers use astrology.”‎ The most famous astrologer is Nostradamus. Long ago, he correctly predicted events such as the Second World War, the killing of U. S. President John F. Kennedy, and most recently, the attack on the World Trade Center. Another famous astrologer, Frau Elsbeth Ebertin, accurately predicted that Adolph Hitler would become Fuhrer—the leader after she was given Hitler’s birth chart. In fact, Hitler himself was a believer in astrology. It’s thought that he used an astrologer throughout the Second World War. The wife of former American president Ronald Reagan, Nancy, was also a firm believer in astrology. She employed an astrologer to ask about President Reagan’s future safety after the president was shot.‎ Though some people may consider astrology superstitious (迷信的), others think it is both a science and an art. Since the moon has an effect on the ocean, and 75 percent of the human body is made up of water, it is reasonable to say that astrology, a study of the stars, may affect humans as well. Therefore, if viewed in this way, astrology may be believable and it is easy to see why it is so popular.‎ ‎21. What is the main idea of the article?‎ A. More and more people, especially stars, are interested in astrology.‎ B. Astrology is becoming popular and has some basis in science.‎ C. Famous astrologers can predict events correctly.‎ D. People should use astrology every day.‎ ‎22. Which of the following events was NOT predicted by Nostradamus?‎ A. The terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.‎ B. The killing of President Kennedy.‎ C. The outbreak of World War Ⅱ.‎ D. The birth of Fuhrer Hitler.‎ ‎23. What can we learn from the passage?‎ A. Astrology is one of the most popular topics on the Internet.‎ B. Astrology can help change people’s lives for the better.‎ C. Only a few Wall Street brokers use astrology.‎ D. Most of Americans believe in astrology.‎ ‎24. The author tends to think astrology is _________.‎ A. boring B. puzzling C. believable D. Strange ‎ B If you want to write a movie script (脚本) yourself but don’t know how, what would you do? The following can be of some help to you.‎ There are only three parts necessary in a script: the Scene Heading, the Visual Exposition and the Dialogue.‎ The Scene Heading begins with either “EXT.” or “INT.”. EXT. shows that the scene takes place outdoors, while INT. is used when the scene takes place indoors, for example, inside a room. After that, the exact place of the scene is given, such as “HOTEL ROOM.” The last thing that must be mentioned is whether it is NIGHT or DAY.‎ The Visual Exposition is a description of the action or movement that takes place on the scr een, and should include ONLY what you would see if you were watching the screen. For the first time, and only the first time, a character appears in the script, the name is capitalized (大写), and should be followed by a short description that includes age and build, for example: ‎ The Dialogue follows the Visual Exposition. Each character’s name should be capitalized in the center of the page, followed by the words that are to be spoken on the next line. Do not include any description of feelings before the lines of dialogue. If you consider it necessary to show a character gives a line in a certain way, for example, “angrily,” this should be included in the Visual Exposition above the lines, such as, “Cynthia’s face shows her anger.” But remember, Visual Exposition should ONLY show action we can see.[来源:Zxxk.Com]‎ ‎25. In a script the Scene Heading tells _________ the story takes place.‎ A. where and when B. at what time of a day C. what has happened when D. on which day of the week ‎26. If a story takes place in a park on a Friday morning, which of the Scene Headings is right?‎ A. INT. FRIDAY-DAY. B. EXT. FRIDAY-NIGHT.‎ C. INT. PARK-NIGHT. D. EXT. PARK-DAY.‎ ‎27. The Visual Exposition in a script only includes actions or movements _________.‎ A. that some main characters do B. that can be seen on the screen C. that the writer of the story describes D. that happen in outdoor activities ‎28. Which of the following short scripts is right?‎ A.‎ EXT. JOHN’S HOUSE-DAY There are many people talking with each other. Amy, in red dress, stands under a tree. JOHN is walking to her.‎ ‎ John ‎ Hi, long time no see. Oh, you are so beautiful today!‎ B.‎ INT. BEN’S ROOM-DAY Ben is sleeping. CAROL, 12, thin, beautiful, rushes into the room because she knows they will be late.‎ ‎ CAROL ‎ Ben, get up! You overslept again!‎ C.‎ INT. LIVING ROOM-DAY It is raining outside. Daniel and Brian are watching TV. There is a glass of water on the desk.‎ ‎ BRIAN ‎ Look at him! He’s dancing!‎ D. ‎ EXT. KITCHEN-NIGHT Cathy is quarreling with her husband as she is cooking.‎ ‎ CATHY ‎ (Angrily)‎ ‎ Sure! I’m mad at what you did. When are you ‎ going to learn to think of someone beside yourself?‎ ‎ C ‎  Dyslexia is a problem that restricts the ability to recognize words and connect sounds with letters when people read. People with this learning disorder may also have problems when they write. Dyslexia is not related to eyesight or intelligence. The problem involves areas of the brain that process language. Brain scientists are studying whether they can predict which young children may struggle with reading to provide them with early help. John Gabrieli at the Massachusetts ‎ Institute of Technology is leading the study of five-year-olds in about twenty schools in the Boston area.‎ They studied in the schools with kindergartens．And for all the children joining in the study, they give them a brief set of paper-and-pencil tests to look at which children appear to be at some risk for struggling to read. So far, fifty of them have been examined in a scanner, a special machine, to show brain activity. Written tests are not always able to identify dyslexia or other problems, while brain scans may offer a more scientific way to identify problems. And with reading problems, early identification is important. When it comes to helping children overcome reading difficulties, the younger the child, the more effective they are.‎ ‎ Reading problems are not usually identified until a child is in the third or fourth grade. The later children are recognized as poor readers，the less treatment can help. And, as Professor Gabrieli points out, poor reading can make education a struggle. Reading is everything. Even math and science have textbooks.‎ While the children are given tasks related to reading, the brain scans measure the extent to which certain parts of the brain become active while the children do the work. The scientists say they are pleased with early results from the study, but have a long way to go.‎ ‎29. Dyslexia affects the part of brain concerning ________.‎ ‎ A. eyesight B. intelligence C. language D. emotion ‎30. Dyslexia problems are more likely to be identified through ________.‎ ‎ A. speech contests B. reading efficiency C. listening comprehension D. brain scans ‎31. According to the passage, which of the followings has the best time to overcome reading difficulties?‎ ‎ A. Tom, a boy in the kindergarten. B. Kate, a high school leaver.‎ ‎ C. Jane, a primary school student. D. Steve, a man in his thirties.‎ D Cheerleading Is a Sport The New York Times states that cheerleading is the fastest growing girls’ sport, yet more than half of Americans do not believe it is a sport.‎ A sport, according to the Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors, is a “physical activity against a competitor, governed by rules under which a winner is declared, and the primary purpose of the competition is a comparison of the relative skills of the participants.” Because cheerleading follows these guidelines, it is a sport.‎ Cheerleading includes lots of physical activity. Like gymnasts, cheerleaders must learn to do a lot of movements, such as jumping, twisting and so on. It is not rare to see cheerleaders “flying” high up into the sky and falling to be caught by the “bases” in different positions that require strength and cooperation.‎ Just as basketball and football have rules for competitive play, so does cheerleading. The performance has to be completed in less than three minutes and 15 seconds and the cheerleaders are required to stay within a certain area.‎ A cheerleader’s goal is to be the best. Just like gymnasts, they are awarded points for ‎ difficulty, technique, and creativity. Cheerleading is a team sport, so the performance is also awarded according to the cooperation and synchronization. That is to say, the girls need to act like one person. Otherwise, first place is out of reach.‎ According to the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research, cheerleading is the number one cause of serious sports injuries to women, which is partly because they do not wear protective equipment. However, the main reason is that cheerleading is not yet recognized as a sport by many schools, the proper equipment is not provided to ensure safety. Instead, the girls use whatever space is available. More recognition of cheerleading as a sport would decrease the number of injuries.‎ So why do many Americans think cheerleading is not a sport? It cannot be because cheerleaders do not use balls or other objects. Wrestling, swimming, track, skating and boxing are recognized sports that do not use balls.‎ Hopefully, cheerleading will become as well-known a sport as football and basketball, and even appear in the Olympics since cheerleaders are just as athletic and physically fit as those involved in the more accepted sports.‎ ‎32. What is NOT the standard for sport according to the Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors?‎ A. Physical movement is required.‎ B. The number of participants is limited.‎ C. The aim of a sport is to beat the competitor.‎ D. A winner is finally decided after the competition.‎ ‎33. The underlined word “synchronization” in Paragraph 5 probably means _________.‎ A. being creative in designing the movements B. presenting a challenging performance C. doing the movement at the same time D. setting a practical competitive goal ‎34. Which is the main reason for more injuries to women in cheerleading according to the author?‎ A. Physical activities. B. Strong competition.‎ C. Carelessness. D. Less recognition.‎ ‎35. What is the purpose of the author to write the passage?[来源:学科网]‎ A. To discuss the standards of a sport.‎ B. To introduce the sport of cheerleading.‎ C. To invite people to take part in cheerleading.‎ D. To suggest improving cheerleading equipment.‎ 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。‎ An interview can be a nerve-racking (令人紧张的) experience. 36 Nevertheless, with a few interview tips, you will be on your way to getting that job you need so desperately!‎ The first interview tip you will ever get is to be yourself. 37 You must bear in mind that there is no one else like you on the earth. In believing in yourself, you can successfully prepare yourself psychologically for that nerve-racking interview!‎ Second in line for great interview tips is that you should be on time. 38 If you think that you may run into a problem getting to a interview on time, leave early to ensure that you will get there on time. Showing up for an interview on time shows that you are a responsible person.‎ A great tip to remember during an interview is to turn off your cell phone. There is nothing more annoying to an employer than a cell phone ringing every five minutes during an interview. 39 So it is best to turn off your cell phone.‎ ‎ 40 An interviewer’s tone of voice, their attitude, their style of speech and their body motions can indicate to you how you should respond to the questions they pose.‎ A. Send an e-mail to the interviewer on time.‎ B. Being late for an interview is unsatisfactory.‎ C. Therefore knowing how to get through an interview is vital.‎ D. The cell phone is very useful whenever you are in trouble.‎ E. Act naturally and take pride in yourself.‎ F. Pay close attention to the interviewer while you are being interviewed.‎ G. Besides, continuous interruptions may be a sign of unprofessional behavior.‎ 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。‎ Just the other day Ian asked me, "Dad, what should I be when I grow up?" For a second I stood there 41_________what response I could give him. Doctor? Lawyer? Basketball Player? ‎ Personally as a college student I struggled with this 42________as I tried to choose a 43_________ . Then I became an adult, after passing the right of passage of bills and debt, and noticed the question no longer 44_________ . Once the "you owe money" notices started 45_________, it was a lot less about what you want to be, and more like who will 46_________ me and pay me enough to cover my heavy 47_________.‎ With the knowledge of this experience, I looked 48_________at my little son, stared in his eyes and responded 49_________and thoughtfully, "I know exactly what you should be when you 50_________ . "‎ He stood there like a 51_________ baby bird waiting for me to feed him with 52_________ and a plan. I opened my mouth slowly and spoke out a(n) 53_________. Ian, I want you to be 54_________ .‎ Has anyone ever asked you to do something so simple yet 55_________ at the same time? I didn't want to put a 56_________on his future. I didn't want to 57_________ him to my views about a successful life. I had one intention for his 58_________and that is that I wanted him to be great Great would not be 59_________by a title, wealth or social status. Great would not be defined by an act but by a life of significance and contribution. I want my son to live a life of meaning determined by his purpose, passions, and talent.‎ ‎ I want the same for you. I don’t know 60_________where you want to go or what you dream of doing. But whatever it is, I want you to be great.‎ ‎41.A. asking B. considering C. explaining D. guessing ‎42.A. difficulty B. choice C. question D. situation ‎43.A. lesson B. job C. book D. major ‎44.A. mattered B. existed C. appeared D. mentioned ‎45.A. handing in B. rolling in C. breaking in D. giving in ‎46.A. support B. appreciate C. hire D. encourage ‎47.A. expenses B. facts C. truths D. shortcomings ‎48.A. up B. down C. around D. forward ‎49.A. excitedly B. unwillingly C. hurriedly D. slowly ‎50.A. wake up B. catch up C. grow up D. get up ‎51.A. hungry B. tiny C. beautiful D. sad ‎52.A. food B. knowledge C. water D. direction ‎53.A. praise B. answer C. promise D. demand ‎54.A. modest B. honest[来源:Zxxk.Com]‎ C. great D. patient ‎55.A. hard B. complex C. normal D. common ‎56.A. cover B. position C. cloud D. title ‎57.A. contribute B. introduce C. lead D. limit ‎58.A. future B. study C. development D. dream ‎59.A. used B. determined C. affected D. protected ‎60.A. immediately B. properly C. .exactly D. eventually 第Ⅱ卷（非选择题 满分50分）‎ 第三部分 英语知识运用（共两节，满分45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。‎ As an old English saying 61 (go), “Honesty is the best policy.” It is not an old cliché（陈词滥调）, but a good way to live your life.  Firstly, being honesty is the  62  (easy) choice that we can make. When people get caught in lies, it always costs them something. Many relationships are destroyed by lies. Secondly, honesty gives us much  63  (free). Many people believe that being honest limits them in life, but that is not true. Sooner or later those dishonest people  64  (pay) a price for their acts; on the contrary, when we are honest, we are  65  (true) free. If there were two people  66  (stand) before you, a person with a record of being honest and a person who is known to be 67 (honest), who would you be more likely 68  (believe)? I’m sure most people would side with the honest person.  69  we live in the truth or we live in lies. Truth sets us free and lies leave us nothing but more troubles. Honesty is a choice that we make each day. The choice is  70  (you). What will you choose ?‎ 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处错误，每句中最多有两处，每处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。‎ 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。‎ Stress is a state of being upset that happen when we are under pressure. We students have all experienced stress over problems in our daily life, test results, or too many homework. Since stress can make us sick, we have to learn what to deal with it. When you are stressful, don’t forget your hobbies. If you are fond music, just turn on the radio. Generally, people think TV may interfere ‎ with their children’s studies. However, if you worry about that your English and don’t know what to do, you can get help from English TV programs. It is also help to share your worries to your friends. They will surely give you some advices and help you out of trouble. As long as we treat stress proper, we can relax ourselves and keep away from its bad effects.‎ 第二节 书面表达（满分25分）‎ 假定你是李华，是南昌某中学的一名学生。最近南昌政府正计划实施快速公交道路建设，引起人们的广泛争议。请你根据人们不同的观点，给校英语报写一封信，反映这一情况。‎ 赞成观点：解决交通问题，促进经济发展，方便人们生活，提高人民生活水平，提升旅游城市 形象。‎ 反对观点：造成环境污染，产生噪音，打扰居民生活。‎ 你的观点：...‎ 注意：1.词数100左右 2.信的开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数 3.为使行文连贯，可适当增加细节 参考词汇：快速公交BRT 注意：1.词数100左右。‎ ‎ 2.可以适当增加细节以使行文连贯。 ‎ ‎3.开头语已给出。‎ Dear editor,‎ ‎ I’m writing to tell you the road construction project in our city.. ___________________‎ ‎____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________‎ ‎ Yours,‎ ‎ Li Hua ‎2015—2016学年度高三上学期期末考试 英语试卷答案 听力 ‎1—5 CBBAC 6—10 ABBCA 11—15 CACCA 16—20 ABCBA 阅读理解 ‎21—24BDAC 25—28 ADBC 29—31 CDA 32—35 BCDB ‎36—40 CEBGF 完形填空 ‎41-45BCDAB 46-50CABDC 51-55ADBCA 56-60DDABC 语法填空 61. goes 62.easiest 63.freedom 64.will pay 65.truly 66.standing 67.dishonest 68.to believe 69.Either 70.yours 62. 短文改错 Stress is a state of being upset that happen when we are under pressure. We students have all ‎ happens experienced stress over problems in our daily life, test results, or too many homework. Since stress ‎ much ‎ can make us sick, we have to learn what to deal with it. When you are stressful, don’t forget your ‎ how stressed hobbies. If you are fond ∧ music, just turn on the radio. Generally, people think TV may ‎＼‎ ‎ of interfere with their children’s studies. However, if you worry about that your English and don’t know what to do, you can get help from English TV programs. It is also help to share your worries ‎ helpful to your friends. They will surely give you some advices and help you out of trouble. As long as with advice we treat stress proper, we can relax ourselves and keep away from its bad effects.‎ ‎ properly 书面表达 ‎ Dear editor,‎ I’m writing to tell you the road construction project in our city. Recently the local government has decided to build BRT, which has caused a heated discussion among the local people.‎ Some agree that we should carry out the project because it can solve some traffic problems and make our life more convenient and comfortable. Besides, it helps promote the economy and improve people’s living environment and the image of our hometown as a modern tourist city.‎ But others who are against the construction believe that the work may cause environmental pollution. They think that the noise produced by the work will disturb people’s peaceful life.‎ In my opinion, protecting the environment should always be put at the first place during the course of construction.‎ ‎ Yours,‎ ‎ Li Hua 听力材料：‎ ‎(Text 1)‎ M: I need to get to buy some paper and some notebooks.‎ W: As long as you’re going there anyway, could you get me a box of pencils?‎ M:OK.‎ ‎(Text 2)‎ M: Excuse me, I want to borrow these books, but I don’t have a library card. Where can I apply ‎ for one?‎ W: Go to the office at the end of the hall.‎ ‎(Text 3)‎ W: Why will Mr. Rogers be out of the office next week? To take a holiday or go on business?‎ M: Neither. He’s traveling to see his niece. She’s getting married next Thursday.‎ ‎(Text 4)‎ W: May I leave the office early today? I have to pick up my parents at the airport.‎ M: But you’re supposed to meet Mr. Black at 4 o’clock, aren’t you? Can’t you ask someone else to go to the airport?[来源:学#科#网]‎ ‎(Text 5)‎ M: Did you hear about Rosa’s sister? She was trapped inside a lift last week.‎ W: Is she all right?‎ M: Yes. The workers managed to open the door in the end.‎ W: That’s great to hear .‎ ‎(Text 6)‎ W: Did you see the France-Wales match on TV last night? Exciting! Wales won! Everyone was over the moon.‎ M: Yeah, I was too. I watched it with my dad. Why did Gareth Jones quit halfway though—did the referee decide he was in the wrong?‎ W: No, he did something to his ankle though, didn’t he? I don’t think it’s serious though. He’s in the team for next Saturday.‎ M: Great, I’ll be watching that too. Do you want to come round to my place and watch it with me?‎ W: Wow, good idea.‎ ‎(Text 7)‎ M: I’ve just been to see that new musical that everyone’s talking about.‎ W: Oh really, and is the plot as good as people say? I think the writer has won awards for his earlier work.‎ M: Yeah, and it’s not bad at all, although there are one or two bits that didn’t work, which I got rather angry by. For me, what stood out were the people playing the two leading roles. They were excellent. But I found the songs unimpressive for the most part.‎ W: Well, it sounds as if I should go and see it sometime, anyway.‎ ‎(Text 8)‎ M: You moved to a new place last month, didn’t you?‎ W: Yeah, it was a pity I had to leave that flat because in many ways I liked being there. It was warm, even during the coldest nights, and the owner was fair, charging me a reasonable rent and immediately getting things fixed whenever anything went wrong.‎ M: That was good. ‎ W: Yeah, but he couldn’t do anything about the couple next door, who seemed to spend nearly all their time having arguments. I tried turning up the TV but I could still hear them, and when I saw the woman in the hall one morning and mentioned it to her, she got quite angry. So, sadly, I had to pack my bags and find somewhere else.‎ ‎(Text 9)‎ M: Lily, what did you do when you decided to walk through the Andes Mountains to Machu Picchu? Was there anywhere you could get used to being so high up?‎ W: Well, the walk takes me to above 4,000 meters, but of course there’s nothing like that in this country. The highest mountain here is only 2,000 meters, so I couldn’t. I thought of spending some nights out in the tent during some particularly bad winter weather here, but decided that might put me off going at all. So I got into the habit of doing around fifteen kilometers on foot through the hills near here each evening. ‎ M: So how did the walking go?‎ W: It was wonderful. A fantastic experience! Even though sometimes it was very hard going and naturally there were a few problems along the way.‎ M: And what, looking back over the whole journey, would you say was the most exciting moment?‎ W: There were several magical experiences, such as when we walked through the Sun Gate at the entrance to Machu Picchu itself, seeing all the ruined buildings and narrow streets. Then, in the evening, after most of the tourists had gone, we saw the most beautiful sunset. That’s the most exciting moment I enjoyed.‎ ‎(Text 10)‎ W: And now on to this month’s best short breaks. There’s nothing like a long weekend in a foreign city to make you feel good and this month we’ve found some great breaks in Paris, Madrid, Rome and Venice with breaks ranging from two nights to seven. You can find more about them on our website. But our favorite short break of the month is three nights in Barcelona. The cost of the Barcelona break pays for your flight and your hotel. It also includes a full continental breakfast. Evening meals are not included. You can stay at a hotel of your choice and the hotels range from 2-star to 5-star—there are discounts however, if one of the nights you stay is Sunday. This applies to all the hotels. Barcelona is a city for art lovers, but we all know how much sightseeing costs can be, so for a very small extra cost this break also offers a discount card that will give you money off many of the city sights. The card also allows you 10% discount in certain restaurants around the city. ‎ This Barcelona break can be enjoyed anytime between the 5th and the 31st of October, although booking must be made before 30th of September. You can book through our website or, if you prefer, you can telephone direct. This is a fantastic offer. Don’t miss it.‎